Naturally beautiful

Heaven on Earth or Hell on Earth? If you go by Travel advisory of other countries Pakistan tops the list of places that are declared the most dangerous place to visit; if you ask people living in the West they would remember Pakistan as a place that has a history of sectarian killings and bomb blasts. If you ask intellectuals abroad they would talk about medieval people who travel on camels and can hardly converse in English. But if you ask the foreigners who have ever visited this country they would give you an account that is so complimentary that to people who have just seen Pakistan on international media it may seem just a generous exaggeration out of courtesy. Perhaps no other country in the world showcases such paradoxical perceptions as does Pakistan.
Is Pakistan a case of Paradise Lost? No, it is a case of 'Perception Lost'. In today's world what you see, read and hear is what you believe. Countries with little to offer in terms of travel, scenic beauty, diversity are thronged by foreigners. These countries have realized that a country is a product that needs to be packaged, promoted, branded and advertised in order to convince buyers of its attractions. Countries cannot reach out to buyers as products can and thus their marketing to craft an image is even more crucial. A peep into our next door neighbours such as India and Sri Lanka. We learn that they have perfected the art and science of investing in their image, culture and geography with the result that despite having ethnic and racial clashes fairly regularly they still manage to create a positive perception of their country. Sri Lanka is a case study where despite terrorism for decades they were able to make tourism one of the highest contributors to their revenues.
All those who do visit Pakistan are unanimous in their admiration. Pakistan has been ranked the world's top travel destination for 2018 by the British Backpacker Society, which described Pakistan as "one of the friendliest countries on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone's wildest imagination". The British Backpacker Society announced the results, ranking the world's top 20 adventure travel destinations for 2018. Russia, India, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan and China are also among the top 20 destinations. "Pakistan is the clear winner of the British Backpacker Society's top 20 adventure travel destinations 2018 and we encourage keen travellers to book a trip now" the backpackers, who have travelled to over 101 countries, shared these comments on social media. These are views of people who have visited Pakistan but then how many can visit this country to change their perception? Thus, the need for a comprehensive Perception creation strategy.
Talking to Gulf News, Samuel Joynson and Adam Sloper of the British Backpacker Society said the amazing hospitality and breathtaking natural beauty of Pakistan won their hearts."Pakistan is one of the friendliest countries on earth. So, prepare to be invited into people's homes, take more selfies than you can count, and have every preconception that you ever held about this area of the world changed forever," Samuel said.
Hardly any other country offers such a rich variety of landscape as does Pakistan. While Switzerland boasts of Swiss Alps and Maldives shows off its beaches, a flight of an hour and 45 minutes from Lahore to Karachi takes you over green plains, hills, mountains and then seaside. This variety is captivating for those who take the courage to come to this country. The BackPacker society was in awe of this diversity. Sharing travel tips, Sameul says: "Head north to the astonishing peaks of the Karakoram along the unforgettable Karakoram Highway. It is beautiful, exciting and culturally interesting, and travellers are rewarded at the journey's end-point with perhaps the most beautiful natural sight on earth, the Hunza Valley."
Just compare this description of Pakistan with the one being shown on the media and you understand that how we have failed to project what this country really is. Country branding is a professional project undertaken by governments and their ministries. Tourism ministry and departments in Pakistan are just post offices passing on information in the most outdated and inaccessible form. The law and order situation has improved dramatically leading to improvement in domestic tourism but international tourism is still far from its potential. The examples of Malaysia which has a "Malaysia truly Asia" campaign that creates a perception of a melting pot of what is the best in Asia is an example of a well-crafted branding strategy. Similarly the "Incredible India" campaign run by the Indian government has established India as must visit place for tourists.
Pakistan must craft a country branding campaign like "Pakistan-Naturally Beautiful". The main attraction to lure tourists will start from the mountain peaks and the green valleys that Pakistan is famous for. This campaign has to be managed through using global platforms of both Electronic and Social media. Collaboration with international travel agents and airport displays are all part of a strategic communication plan that is a norm in most countries except Pakistan. Celebrity endorsements by famous international stars from all walks of life can be part of Build Pakistan Image campaign.
This image building will not only help in improving the tourist industry but will also attract more business and investment as the safety concerns will be addressed by the number of people thronging the country. Perception is bigger than reality and if the reality is different from how people perceive it, it is definitely time to install a holistic plan to make people see, believe and endorse the real face, culture and beauty of this country.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])