The scenic beauty and adventure offerings of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) drew a remarkable influx of foreign visitors, notably climbers, and trekkers, along with around 9,000 foreign tourists in the summer of 2023. Despite this surge, challenges in the visa acquisition process became a significant hurdle for many.
Tour operators highlighted issues within the visa process that hindered potential visitors. Mohammad Ali, representing the Pakistan Association of Tour Operators, emphasized the prolonged and intricate nature of obtaining a Pakistan visa. The process, often taking several months, discouraged many tourists from pursuing their plans to visit the country.
Asghar Ali Porik, a tour operator from GB, pointed out the language barrier in the online visa application form, available only in English, limiting accessibility for tourists from non-English speaking countries. He also shed light on the confusion stemming from the dual visa categories: tourist visa and mountaineering/trekking visa. Although these visas are theoretically meant to be processed within specific timeframes, the actual issuance, especially after security clearance, commonly surpassed those estimations. This uncertainty led many foreigners to reconsider or cancel their plans to visit Pakistan.
The complexities in the visa process not only delayed trips but also posed a considerable challenge for potential visitors. These issues discouraged tourists and adventurers, impacting the region’s potential for tourism growth. Addressing these hurdles by streamlining the visa application process, providing multilingual support, and ensuring adherence to promised processing timelines could significantly enhance Pakistan’s appeal as a tourist destination, potentially driving further economic growth for GB and the country as a whole.
