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Abstract
The purpose of this investigation is to study the trend of foreign heritage visitors in Pakistan, the total contribution of travel and tourism industry towards GDP and employment in the country and to highlight the important issues and challenges faced by tourism industry of Pakistan. Results of the study reveal that the number of foreign heritage tourists in Pakistan is falling from the year 2007 to 2016 and the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP is not only below the world average but also far behind the average of South Asia. Moreover, research also indicates that contribution towards employment is better than the world average but it is also far behind from the average of South Asian region. The lack of tourism infrastructure, low skilled and untrained labor force available to the tourist industry, inadequate budgetary funding and lack of focused promotional policies are the major issues.
Keywords: Tourism, Pakistan, Foreign Heritage Visitors, GDP, Employment, Infrastructure, Labor Force, Funding
Introduction
Tourism, a multidimensional commercial activity, was developed to be a multi trillion $ industry worldwide. Its significance to country's economic, services, and employment generation performance is indispensably accepted across the world (Baloch, 2008).
Pakistan after its independence from British India regarded as a modern state on 14 august 1947. All four provinces of Pakistan are gifted with heritage and tradition and one of the fertile and exceptional group of royal and rocky peaks, lush fields, deserts, rivers, ponds, seashores and landscapes enriched with enjoyable and hospitable human beings for that reason making it a blissful vacation spot for tourists with extraordinary tastes. Pakistan is termed as the Switzerland of Asia. The ancient and archaeological sites of the Mohenjo-Daro and Gandhara, Indus Valley civilizations, Taxila the Mughal Empire are the instances of ancient cultures in Pakistan. This multicultural nature of Pakistan contributes to the tourism industry in the manner that it offers numerous traditions, customs and gala's for the travelers to discover and revel in. Heritage Tourism Pakistan is a home to the maximum tremendous antique metropolises of the world comprising the Indus and Gandhara civilization, Taxila , Moenjodaro and Harrppa, museums, Mughal historical past and the silk course, Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore castle and the...