Tourism at a Crossroads: Why RECOVER is the Framework Pakistan Needs Now
By Tayyaba Qayyum
Pakistan at a Tipping Point
Tourism is no longer just a leisure pursuit or economic booster — it is a strategic tool for national development. Around the world, countries are leveraging tourism to drive employment, foster entrepreneurship, and showcase their unique cultural identities. Pakistan, with its breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural history, stands at the threshold of a tourism boom.
According to recent reports, the travel and tourism sector in Pakistan is set to generate over $4 billion in revenue by 2025, fueled by domestic exploration, improved infrastructure, and digital transformation efforts. Sources like Statista, Pakistan Today, The Nation, and APP News confirm this surge, with projections showing sustained growth until 2029.
But amid this optimism lies a pressing concern: Growth for whom, and at what cost?
As we build roads into valleys and promote undiscovered peaks, are we preserving what makes these destinations special? Or are we eroding the very ecosystems and cultures that draw people in the first place?
This is the essential question raised by Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana, a seasoned tourism expert, environmental advocate, and Managing Director of PTDC. His voice serves as a powerful reminder that tourism is not merely an economic strategy — it is a responsibility.
About WanderVision: Purpose and Philosophy
WanderVision is not just a podcast. It is a platform for deep discourse analysis of Pakistan’s tourism industry, aimed at shaping a smarter and more sustainable future for travel in the country.
Through conversations with experts, policymakers, and stakeholders, WanderVision explores what tourism means — not just in numbers, but in impact. Our purpose is to challenge narratives, surface neglected issues, and elevate conversations that matter.
At the heart of this effort is the DISCOVER–UNCOVER–RECOVER framework:
- DISCOVER spotlights personal stories, journeys, and contributions of thought leaders and innovators shaping Pakistan’s tourism.
- UNCOVER brings attention to underexplored destinations, policy gaps, and overlooked challenges that need intervention.
- RECOVER is our most urgent and critical framework — it represents our commitment to sustainability, conservation, and responsible tourism.
Why RECOVER? Because without it, everything else becomes short-lived. As Mr. Rana poignantly highlights, towns like Naran that were once quiet retreats now host over 700 hotels. The pressure on water systems, landfills, and biodiversity is mounting.
WanderVision believes that unless we prioritize recovery of ecosystems, community cultures, and infrastructure integrity, the tourism gains we celebrate today will become burdens tomorrow.
Pakistan’s Tourism Boom: A Double-Edged Sword
Pakistan’s tourism sector is expanding fast, and that’s great news. Reports indicate:
- $4B+ in tourism revenue by 2025 ([APP, Statista, Nation, Zameen, Gulf News, Pakistan Today])
- Market volume potentially reaching $5.53B by 2029
- Domestic travel driving growth amid inflation and airfare hikes
- Growing confidence due to better security and digital tools
But this boom is a double-edged sword. Rapid, unregulated growth is already straining many tourist destinations. Infrastructure can’t keep up with footfall. Waste disposal is an afterthought. Local cultures are becoming commercialized.
This is why voices like Mr. Rana’s matter. He warns that without environmental regulations, waste management protocols, and tourism-specific policy frameworks, we are on a collision course with irreversible damage.
Growth should never come at the cost of sustainability.
Responsible Tourism: A Moral and Economic Imperative
Responsible tourism is not just a buzzword, it is a moral duty and an economic strategy for Pakistan’s long-term success.
As Mr. Rana states during the WanderVision episode, Pakistan’s tourism industry is still in its infancy. This gives us a window of opportunity to do it right from the beginning.
- Acting like responsible tourists, not littering, respecting local communities, and choosing sustainable tour operators creates ripple effects that benefit both visitors and residents.
- Responsible tourism leads to job creation without degradation, where communities can thrive economically while protecting their heritage and ecosystems.
- Most importantly, it ensures that the places we love today remain intact for future generations.
The challenge lies in awareness and enforcement. Tourists often seek beauty but ignore their footprint. But ignorance is no longer an excuse — especially when our lakes are turning into trash pits and our mountain trails into commercial zones.
We must institutionalize responsibility through education campaigns, tour operator certification, and tourism zoning laws. This is not optional. It is essential.
In a country as ecologically diverse and culturally rich as Pakistan, tourism holds immense potential, not only as an economic engine but as a means of reconnecting people with nature, history, and community. However, as Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana emphasized in his powerful WanderVision appearance, this potential is double-edged. If not managed responsibly, tourism can become a source of exploitation, degradation, and loss.
Tourism in Its Infancy: A Window of Opportunity
Pakistan’s tourism industry is still in its formative years. While this means there are challenges, it also presents a rare and powerful opportunity, the chance to build a responsible tourism model from the ground up. We are not burdened by decades of overdevelopment like many Western tourism hotspots. This is our moment to get it right.
As Mr. Rana pointed out, the potential for job creation, particularly in rural and underdeveloped areas, is staggering. From homestays to local guides, transport services to food stalls, a well-managed tourism sector can offer livelihoods to thousands, lifting communities out of poverty without relying on heavy industry or unsustainable infrastructure.
But with this opportunity comes a fundamental question:
“Can we grow without destroying what makes us worth visiting in the first place?”
The Ripple Effect of Responsibility
Responsible tourism starts with a mindset shift. It means recognizing that we are guests, not owners. Every time we leave behind litter, overstay our welcome, or exploit a destination for social media clout, we take more than we give.
But the reverse is also true.
- When tourists choose eco-conscious accommodations, they support businesses that prioritize sustainability.
- When they respect local customs and dress codes, they foster cultural appreciation instead of friction.
- When they engage local guides and buy handmade crafts, they feed directly into the local economy.
These actions might seem small, but they create a ripple effect — one that sustains the land, empowers communities, and strengthens Pakistan’s global reputation.
Tourism Without Awareness is a Threat
Without education and frameworks, even the most well-intentioned tourism can go wrong. A surge in visitors to an unprepared location can lead to:
- Water pollution from untreated waste
- Deforestation due to unregulated construction
- Displacement of local populations for luxury developments
- Commodification and dilution of indigenous cultures
This is not a hypothetical; this is already happening, as we’ve seen in places like Naran and Murree. And once the damage is done, it’s rarely reversible.
Tourism With Awareness is a Solution
Responsible tourism, on the other hand, is not just damage control; it is proactive development. It can preserve endangered ecosystems, revive dying crafts, and turn heritage into economic capital, not through exploitation, but through respectful collaboration.
In the hands of the right stakeholders, from government regulators to conscious travelers, tourism becomes a tool for transformation.
- It can educate visitors about biodiversity and conservation.
- It can fund local schools and health centers through taxes and community-based tourism models.
- It can build national pride by celebrating what makes Pakistan unique rather than hiding it behind a polished, commercial façade.
A Cultural and Generational Responsibility
Ultimately, responsible tourism isn’t just an economic decision — it’s a moral one. It’s about what kind of Pakistan we want to share with the world, and what kind of Pakistan we want to pass on to our children.
It means understanding the weight of our footprints, not just the number of our likes.
It means recognizing that every journey we take through our mountains, deserts, and coastlines is part of a shared story — one that deserves to be told with dignity, humility, and care.
As WanderVision continues to emphasize through its conversations and frameworks, especially RECOVER, responsible tourism is not just a nice-to-have concept. It is the only sustainable path forward. A path where growth is not a threat to beauty, but a tribute to it.
Why ‘RECOVER’ Is the Most Urgent Framework
Yes, tourists are already exploring Pakistan. They are hiking through forests, boating on lakes, and road-tripping to valleys. But what legacy are we leaving for them to return to — or for their children to see?
At WanderVision, RECOVER is not just a segment. It is a mindset shift. It asks:
- Are we building sustainably?
- Are we managing the waste we generate?
- Are we protecting our lakes, rivers, glaciers, and forests?
- Are we teaching young travelers and stakeholders about their impact?
Mr. Rana’s example of Naran — now overcrowded with hotels and devoid of waste planning — is a warning. If we don’t act now, Pakistan’s beauty will become a memory, not a reality.
The RECOVER framework is our call to:
- Rebuild with nature, not over it
- Preserve cultural harmony
- Support local economies without overwhelming them
- Plan for generations, not just seasons
Let us not pass forward consequences of negligence. Let us pass forward stories of resilience, foresight, and care.
Among WanderVision’s three narrative pillars — Discover, Uncover, and Recover — the RECOVER framework stands out as the most urgent and essential. It is not just a reflective lens; it is a forward-facing strategy. In a time when Pakistan’s tourism industry is expanding rapidly but unevenly, RECOVER demands that we pause, rethink, and rebuild with care.
1. Because We’re Already Paying the Price
Across Pakistan, the environmental and social costs of unchecked tourism are already visible.
Take Naran, once a pristine valley known for its peaceful rivers and forested charm. Today, as Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana pointed out during his WanderVision interview, this small town hosts over 700 hotels — a figure that sounds impressive until you examine the consequences. Lakes once clear now carry the burden of solid waste. Forests face degradation. The once-quiet town now struggles under the weight of its popularity.
Without an emphasis on recovery and long-term planning, such destinations will become cautionary tales — victims of their own success.
2. Because Climate Change Won’t Wait
Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, and many of our top tourist destinations — glaciers, lakes, wetlands, highland forests — are directly threatened by rising temperatures and erratic weather.
The RECOVER framework prioritizes climate resilience, asking:
- Are we building tourism infrastructure that respects local ecosystems?
- Are our tourism campaigns aligned with conservation goals?
- Are we investing in low-impact transport, renewable energy, and sustainable waste solutions?
Tourism cannot continue to grow if the natural world that sustains it is allowed to collapse.
3. Because We Have No Safety Net
Unlike some countries, Pakistan currently lacks comprehensive tourism zoning laws, national sustainability benchmarks, and consistent visitor impact assessments. While individual campaigns (such as “Green Our Summer Vacations”) show promise, they are episodic, not institutionalized.
RECOVER insists on a systems-level change:
- Eco-tourism certifications for businesses
- Community-based waste management programs
- Long-term preservation of local biodiversity
- Tourism taxes or fees reinvested into conservation
- Integrated planning between federal, provincial, and local bodies
Without these measures, the sector remains exposed — economically profitable, yes, but environmentally fragile and socially risky.
4. Because Tourism Is About Legacy
Perhaps the most emotional and powerful reason why RECOVER matters is this: tourism is a legacy industry.
Every tourist today is borrowing from the future. They are walking through landscapes, cultures, and traditions that have been passed down for generations. The real question is — what are we leaving behind?
- Will our children be able to see the same Hunza peaks, Deosai plains, and Saiful Muluk lakes that we cherish today?
- Will they experience heritage or only hear stories of what was lost?
- Are we being ancestors worth remembering?
RECOVER reframes tourism as a form of stewardship. It pushes us to see destinations not as disposable attractions but as shared responsibilities. It centers intergenerational equity, urging policymakers, businesses, and travelers to act not just for today’s gain but for tomorrow’s survival.
In essence, RECOVER is not a choice. It is an imperative.
It’s what turns tourism from a short-term revenue strategy into a long-term development model.
It’s what separates a viral destination from a viable one.
WanderVision adopts this framework not out of idealism, but out of urgency. To truly grow Pakistan’s tourism industry, we must first protect what makes it worth visiting.
Global Lessons, Local Action
Pakistan is not alone in this journey. Countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and New Zealand offer models worth learning from:
- Nepal mandates guides, restricts over-tourism through permits, and ensures trekkers contribute to local development.
- Bhutan limits tourist numbers, charges a sustainability fee, and reinvests earnings into health, education, and conservation.
- New Zealand runs national education campaigns (like AdventureSmart) and strictly regulates eco-adventures.
Pakistan has begun similar steps — including the PTDC’s “Let’s Green Our Summer Vacations” campaign — but we need national legislation, not just seasonal efforts.
We must:
- Enforce environmental zoning laws
- Regulate waste and water use in tourist-heavy areas
- Certify eco-friendly tour operators
- Digitally track tourist activity for better planning
- Empower youth and communities through jobs, skills, and stewardship roles
The Real Question — What Are We Leaving Behind?
Pakistan’s tourism sector holds incredible potential. From the Swat valleys to the Karakoram peaks, from Cholistan dunes to Sindh’s cultural heartlands, we have treasures the world wants to see.
But will they last?
Will our lakes still mirror the sky, or will they reflect garbage? Will our glaciers stand, or melt under the pressure of mismanagement? Will our local communities thrive, or be pushed out by unchecked commercialization?
These are the questions WanderVision seeks to raise. And this is why we brought Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana to our platform — because his experience, integrity, and vision remind us that true development is measured by what we protect, not just what we promote.
If we want tourism to be a source of pride for generations, not regret, then the answer is clear:
Recover what we’ve lost. Preserve what we have. And protect what’s yet to come.
🎬 Watch Short Insights from Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana
For quick takeaways from this powerful conversation, check out these short clips from the WanderVision episode:
These are the questions WanderVision seeks to raise. And this is why we brought Mr. Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana to our platform — because his experience, integrity, and vision remind us that true development is measured by what we protect, not just what we promote.
🎧 Watch the full episode of Mr. Rana on WanderVision: https://youtu.be/lQg8NhtXA7w
