Digital Tourism: A Key Source To Explore KP’s Breathtaking Beauty, Attract Foreign Investment

KAGHAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jul, 2024) Nestled in the Upper Kaghan Valley, the pristine Anso and Saiful Malook lakes, renowned for its breathtaking beauty and enchanting tales, are now basking in the limelight of the digital age.

Wasal Khan and his family, eager to capture the magic of these iconic destinations, recently visited these lakes and are now sharing their unforgettable pleasures experiences with relatives and friends through social media.

As the Khan family, led by Wisal, a property dealer of Peshawar, posed for selfies along with loved ones against the stunning backdrop of the waterfall cascading from Malaka Parbat’s hills at Hamalya mountains range, their joy was palpable. With smiles all around, Wasal, his wife, and their three children plan to boast about their adventure on various social media platforms.

To entice friends, relatives, and countless online followers to visit the majestic Saiful Malook lake, a site steeped in the legends of Persian Prince Saiful Malook and fairy princes of Badry Jamala.

“I have shared five photos of my Saiful Malook visit with my relatives at Peshawar who also planned to join him in few days,” said Wisal, adding the booting inside Saiful Malook lake has doubled my family joy.

“The impact of digital sharing goes beyond just showcasing a beautiful spot. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and WhatsApp have become powerful tools in promoting adventure and heritage tourism in Khyber Pakthunkhwa,” said Wisal, adding digital media have transformed how travelers discover new destinations and become integral in boosting local economies.

“Through the lens of digital media, the picturesque Saiful Malook and Anso lakes are not just a serene getaway but a burgeoning symbol of the potential for tourism-driven economic growth in Pakistan.”

This trend is a boon for the local hospitality and transport industries, creating new opportunities for the youth and supporting the broader economic landscape.

As the digital media continues to evolve in Pakistan, it brings with it the promise of revitalizing and expanding the tourism sector, making sites like Saiful Malook, Anso and Dudipath lakes are not just beautiful destinations but also catalysts for economic development.

“In today's modern digital era, the convergence of scenic beauty and social media has set the stage for a new chapter in tourism in Pakistan. Saiful Malook, Mahodhand, Dudipath and Anso lakes are just one example of how the digital age is reshaping the travel industry in world including Pakistan, offering both stunning vistas and promising economic benefits,” said Abu Zafar Sadiq, President Alpine Club of Pakistan while talking to APP.

Being a home of plenty of ancient archeological, cultural and heritage sites, he said that Pakistan is a unique country blessed with six world heritage sites and second highest mountain peak of K-2 that required proper projection on digital, social and electronic media imperative for increasing tourism’s revenue.

Moenjodaro in Sindh, Buddhist Ruins at Takht Bhai and neighbouring city remains at Sahri Bahlol in Mardan and Taxila, ancient Indus and Gandhara civilizations, five highest mountains peaks of above 8,000 meters including the second highest K-2 (8611m), 108 highest peaks of above 7000 meters in globe, Kalash culture in Chitral and numerous historical monuments needs proper projection on digital media.

Abu Zafar said that Pakistan had earned only $8.8 billion from tourism sector in 2017 which was extremely low compare to SAARC countries.

The world travel and tourism council report 2021 revealed that the travel and tourism sector contributed only $8.8 billion, approximately 2.9% of total GDP of Pakistan in 2017 against $15 billion, which accounts for 5.7% of total GDP in 2019.

Alike in 2020, the tourism growth had decreased by nearly 25%, falling to $11.6 billion or 4.4% of GDP while jobs in the tourism industry also fell 11.1% from 3.45 million in 2019 against 3.63 million in 2020 mainly due to COVID-19 and security challenges.

“Advancements in technology have given rise to virtual tourism. Tourists can easily take virtual tours from their homes and the 360-degree videos as well as virtual reality experiences allow potential visitors to explore destinations like Saiful Malook lake and Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque, Karimabad Bazaar in Hunza, Takht Bhai world heritage site and Shangrila Resort in Skardu before booking flights.

He underscored the need of appointing digital professionals, bloggers and social media experts to promote the tourism industry through small videos to promote adventure and mountain sports here.

Abu Zafar said Pakistan was the most suitable country for adventure sports especially for skiing at Nalthar Gilgit Baltistan and Malam Jabba Swat. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat valley, Naran, Kaghan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and a lot more regions in the country were the most beautiful places where holding of rivers rafting, paragliding and adventure sports can help attract foreign tourists.

"Today is an era of digital tourism. Technological advancements were transforming the travel and hospitality industry fast in developing countries including Pakistan, and that negative perceptions and opinions could be changed through effective and responsible digital media strategies and policies besides special programs, videos and features through social and electronic media to explore Pakistan’s tourism treasures,” Manzoor said.

The scientific advancements and modern technological inventions have virtually turned the globe into a town and our amazing tourism sites may be effectively highlighted through IT tools and apps before the world. Besides online booking platforms and digital marketing campaign, he said tourism departments need to hire services of reputed tourism firms and international v loggers to attract foreign tour groups to KP.

In developed countries like USA, UK, China, he said the culture of publicity of tourism destinations through brochures, booklets and pamphlets were replaced by digital tourism and Pakistan could fully exploit its tourism sites by using digital platforms including global positioning system (GPS), and artificial intelligence.

He said the services of noted bloggers and social media groups may be hired for projection of tourism sites of Pakistan. Manzoor said ‘one belt and one road initiative (OBOR) had proved a game changer for China, adding CPEC being a major component of OBOR was aimed to improve infrastructure and transportation networks besides help promote tourism in Pakistan especially in GB and Khyber Pakthunkhwa.

KP Culture and Tourism Authority’s spokesman told APP that digital tourism was being promoted in KP through small videos packages. He said camping pods were established at new tourists’ destinations besides Kalash culture events are being organized in Chitral.

Sheikh Badin tourist resort located at the confluence of DI Khan and Lakki Marwat districts would be constructed and a tourist wing for merged areas mandated to monitor and oversee tourism-related promotion and digital tourism activities in KP.

APP/fam