Tourism Can Transform Pakistan’s Economic Outlook, Says PM’s Tourism Advisor

WNAM REPORT: National Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, stated that tourism could transform Pakistan’s economic outlook with the right policy approach. He was speaking at a seminar titled “Leveraging Pakistan’s Strategic Position for Trade and Tourism-Led Transformation,” organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan stressed the need for strengthening Pakistan’s international image across religious, educational, medical, and culinary tourism. While acknowledging institutional and infrastructural challenges, he noted that Pakistan was actively engaging investors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China, Germany, the United States, and Central Asia, and promoting adventure tourism and recreational festivals. He called for improved hospitality training to meet international standards, praised recent visa system improvements, and highlighted the government’s focus on airport modernization, transport connectivity, and visitor experience to position Pakistan as a competitive global destination.
Other speakers at the event also cited Pakistan’s vast untapped potential in tourism, trade, and investment as a key driver of economic growth, contingent on effective governance, strategic branding, and policy continuity.
Advisor to the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Mr. Adnan Pasha, highlighted media, storytelling, and digital content as key tourism drivers, citing Turkey’s 8 percent growth following its entertainment industry’s global success. He called for reduced regulatory barriers, trust-based governance, and stronger diaspora engagement. Pakistan’s 9 million overseas nationals, contributing $40 billion in annual remittances, were identified as significant investors through the Roshan Digital Account and potential tourism ambassadors. He flagged untapped Buddhist tourism potential, with communities from Japan to Myanmar eager to visit Pakistan’s heritage sites, and stressed that monetizing cultural heritage through royalties and structured tourism reforms was essential for sustainable growth.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Sadaf Khalid, Director Silk Road Enterprises and Member of the FPCCI Standing Committee on Tourism Economy, emphasized the importance of digitalization and public-private collaboration in modernizing Pakistan’s tourism sector. Highlighting the country’s untapped winter tourism potential, she stated that with improved infrastructure and international partnerships, the sector could generate USD 1-2 billion annually. She also underscored the importance of developing UNESCO Buddhist heritage sites such as Takht-i-Bahi and Taxila, noting that Buddhist tourism alone could contribute USD 500 million to 1 billion annually to Pakistan’s economy. Referring to Sikh religious tourism, she added that pilgrimage tourism linked to Kartarpur Corridor and Nankana Sahib had the potential to generate over USD 150-250 million annually.
In his closing remarks, President IRS Ambassador Jauhar Saleem emphasized that Pakistan’s large youth population, strategic relevance, and exceptional natural and cultural assets positioned the country to emerge as a competitive destination for tourism, trade, and investment. He stressed the importance of skills development, global competitiveness, and collective national effort in achieving sustainable economic transformation.