As Pakistan enters 2026, tourism remains a sector of extraordinary promise. Yet this promise remains largely unrealised. The core failure is not a lack of resources, destinations or finance but a systemic collapse of knowledge, governance and human capital.
TRAVEL & TOURISM
As Pakistan enters 2026, tourism remains a sector of extraordinary promise. Yet this promise remains largely unrealised. The core failure is not a lack of resources, destinations or finance but a systemic collapse of knowledge, governance and human capital.
Pakistan’s tourism crisis is rooted in the absence of trained and qualified professionals, the dominance of irrelevant decision-makers, exclusion of youth, weak academic foundations and a culture of elite privilege and corruption. Environmental destruction, stagnation in adventure tourism and public disillusionment are not accidental outcomes. They are the direct result of a system where authority replaces competence and symbolism replaces strategy.
For decades, Pakistan’s tourism narrative has remained unchanged. Official forums repeatedly highlight mountains, culture, hospitality and religious heritage. These discussions create the impression of progress, particularly when delivered in polished English at conferences and meetings. However, beyond rhetoric, the sector shows little in the way of structural improvement.
Entering 2026, Pakistan still lacks a clear roadmap for tourism development. The sector remains trapped at the level of potential, with no shared understanding of destination management, sustainability or long-term impact. Tourism has become a space in which appearance is mistaken for education and authority for expertise.
One of the most damaging realities of Pakistan’s tourism sector is that almost no one in key decision-making roles holds a proper academic qualification in tourism. Individuals with practical exposure but no university-level education dominate leadership positions. While experience has value, tourism is a multidisciplinary field that requires formal training in planning, environmental management, economics and social science.
This imbalance leads to arbitrary decisions, poorly designed projects and a complete absence of scientific thinking. Tourism development becomes a matter of personal opinion rather than professional judgment.
Tourism governance is often controlled by individuals from unrelated civil or military backgrounds. These elites frequently consider themselves above regulatory frameworks and professional scrutiny. Laws related to land use, environmental protection and construction are selectively applied, particularly when powerful interests are involved.
Such aristocratic dominance undermines accountability and erodes public trust. Tourism cannot function as a sustainable sector when power overrides law and competence is sidelined.
Tourism has recently been introduced as a subject at school, college and university levels. On the surface, this appears progressive. In reality, it has exposed a severe intellectual vacuum.
There are almost no qualified tourism educators in the country. Courses are often taught by faculty from unrelated disciplines or by practitioners with no academic training. As a result, tourism education lacks depth, theory and global relevance.
Graduates receive degrees but do not understand tourism systems, destination lifecycle management, sustainability frameworks or community-based development. This produces a workforce that cannot challenge poor governance or prevent environmental destruction.
Environmental damage in Pakistan’s tourism destinations is often attributed to local communities or uninformed visitors. This narrative is misleading. The real drivers of destruction are so-called educated professionals and authorities who approve unregulated construction and large-scale projects in fragile ecosystems.
With proper sponsorship, transparency and a free hand based on professional trust, Pakistan’s tourism and related industries could be transformed within a few years
These decisions are not made by villagers or porters. They are produced in offices by individuals with authority but without relevant expertise. Education without relevance becomes more dangerous than ignorance.
Across all platforms, authorities discuss tourism potential in the same conventional language. What is missing is any understanding of what comes next. There is little awareness of destination management, visitor control, climate risk or long-term planning.
Tourism is treated as promotion rather than management. Without moving beyond slogans, Pakistan will continue to open destinations that it cannot sustain.
Many Destination Management Companies portray themselves as pioneers of tourism. In reality, most operate without professional standards, scientific planning or sustainability ethics. Their influence in policy discussions far exceeds their competence.
Instead of acting as responsible intermediaries, many DMCs contribute to overcrowding, environmental damage and labour exploitation. Regulation is weak and accountability is almost nonexistent.
Pakistan is a young country. Around 69 per cent of the population is youth. Yet tourism institutions are dominated by older and retired individuals who are repeatedly reemployed after retirement.
This practice blocks opportunity, discourages innovation and creates deep frustration among young people. Tourism is one of the few sectors in which youth should naturally lead, given its reliance on energy, creativity, technology and adaptability. Replacing youth with recycled authority weakens the sector and damages national morale. Retired professionals should mentor and advise, not occupy positions meant for generational renewal.
Millions and billions of rupees have been lost to corruption and poorly conceived projects with no measurable impact. At the same time, vast wastelands remain unused, small industries remain informal and cottage industries fail to scale. With proper planning, wastelands could be transformed into sustainable tourism destinations. Cottage industries could be integrated into tourism supply chains, creating countless small business opportunities and inclusive economic growth. The problem is not a lack of money but a lack of vision and fair access.
Mountaineering is the backbone of adventure tourism in Pakistan, yet it reflects the same structural collapse. In 78 years, not a single internationally recognised mountaineering school has been established in the country. Most Pakistani mountaineers emerge through informal pathways. They join foreign expeditions as porters, high-altitude porters, guides or liaison officers. Given an opportunity, they reach summits. This creates heroes, not trainers.
In the past decade, commercial mountaineering has grown with the involvement of Nepali Sherpas. A small number of Pakistani men and women have climbed all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, an extraordinary achievement. However, most are ‘jumar climbers’ rather than scientifically trained mountaineers. They lack the pedagogical and technical grounding required to train new generations safely and systematically. Hero-making has replaced institution-building. Without formal training systems, Pakistan risks lives, reputations and long-term credibility in adventure tourism.
Pakistan does not lack financial resources. It suffers from selective access. Funding, sponsorships and projects are overwhelmingly directed towards individuals with aristocratic or institutional backing, regardless of impact. Projects led by such elites often produce no meaningful outcomes for youth, the economy or social cohesion. Merit-based proposals rarely receive serious consideration.
With proper sponsorship, transparency and a free hand based on professional trust, Pakistan’s tourism and related industries could be transformed within a few years. Such a transformation would not only generate employment and sustainable growth but could also promote religious harmony and social cohesion through inclusive tourism models.
This claim challenges the prevailing system. It suggests that Pakistan’s problem is not capacity but courage. The courage to trust qualified individuals, empower youth, enforce law equally and replace symbolism with substance.
The writer has a PhD in Paleoanthropology with Evolution of Indus River as a major subject and research and a PhD in Tourism & Hospitality.
