Bangkok--Sep 30--eTurbo news
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (eTurbo News) - India, Pakistan and Nepal must work on domestic as well as regional tourism and co-branding of destination to sustain in the tourism market, a report by Ecotourism Society of Pakistan (ESP) urged.
"South Asia is losing its share in world tourism constantly since September 11 tragedy from international Market and most disadvantage nations are India, Pakistan and Nepal due to political unrest and poverty is increasing in mountainous areas of all three countries due to lack of share of financial benefits to local communities from tourism activities being generated in their respective areas," Ecotourism Society of Pakistan said.
Released in connection with Monday's World Tourism Day, the report indicates that tourism authorities of India and Pakistan despite having three meetings during the last one year did not announce co-branding (offering international tours of both countries in one tour) which indicate that authorities are not seriously working to boost regional as well as international tourism in the region due to political tensions.
ESP's report also found that there is a hope that India and Pakistan while following Confidence Building Measure (CBMs) may go to a position where they can activate regional cooperation despite of their on-going conflict of Kashmir as both countries are missing a share of more than 900 million US dollars a year from international tourism market due to tense situation in the region.
Ecotourism Society Pakistan's report, which has been prepared with the help data collected from Indian, Nepalese and Pakistani experts of tourism, also observed that the share of communities in tourism revenue in India and Pakistan is practically zero and geopolitical positioning of Himalayans have effected poor communities of this area that could have been the best available and best possible tourism destination for entire world. Increasing poverty in mountain areas of both countries indicate that financial activities are remote, resulting in brain drain situation.
"Recreation tourism tends to be concentrated in pockets and controlled by external investments. Economic gains for the local populations tend to be limited. The potential for economic gains can be fully realized by dispersing tourism destinations. The places where the tourist stay and have their meals are now concentrated in small towns, instead of being in villages. It will be important to evolve strategies for dispersing tourist destinations if gains for local communities are to be maximized. The experience in Nepal has shown that tourism and conservation can reinforce each other especially if strategies and processes to ensure gains to local communities are put in place," the report said.
"In Indo Pak border areas, over the centuries, the villagers developed sustainable systems of livelihood that encompassed farming, animal husbandry, trading and providing hospitality to tourists," it added.
According to Ecotourism Society of Pakistan, historic trails of traveling are now occupied by border forces which are even trying to shot down birds crossing man-made borders. Therefore, tourism trend changed in this region and cross border tourism was denied due to fear of cross border terrorism. Co- branding of destinations and regional package tourism never adopted here.
Tourist activities in the region are classified into three broad categories-- recreational, mountain tourism and pilgrimages (in Indian states).
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