950823

Income receipts fall short of $82m

City strife hits

tourism industry

HARIS ZAMIR

KARACHI: Due to continuous termoil in the city, the tourism industry has been badly hit and the $531.65 million target fixed for income receipts through this sector has fallen short by $82 million to $449 million.

According to sources close to the Ministry of Tourism, the government had in 1994-95 fixed a target of $531.65 million from the arrival of nearly 0.623 million tourists. But the lawlessness which gained pace since the start of the year 95, especially in Karachi, resulted in drastic cut in the earnings through this sector.

The sources revealed that as Karachi is the economic hub of the country, its share also moved down from 55 percent to nearly 42 in just six months. "Several foreign delegates and tourists have" cancelled or shortened their visits," due to unabated violence said a sales manager of a hotel.

It may easily be substantiated by the revenue collection made through the hotel industry for the past six months. The hotel occupancy during the period in the four and five-star hotels have slipped sharply by 40 to 50 percent.

According to some businessmen who recently have visited either the USA or other European countries, these countries have a special TV channel for their citizen touring abroad. This network has for quite sometime telecasting news about travel to Pakistan that, they must try to avoid Karachi trip and insists that if possible, shortened visit by one or two days.

Of late, the US authorities have advized its citizens to avoid even the transit stay in Karachi.

According to figures available, tourists arrival in 1994 was estimated at 0.454 million fetched around $116 million as compared to 0.379 million, which yielded $111 million. However, the government had fixed a target of 0.442 million tourists in 1993 which slashed by about 20 percent.

Similarly about 0.438 million tourists visited Pakistan in 1991, registered an earning of $163 million against $119 million from the arrival of 0.352 million tourists in 1992.

However, despite situation in Karachi and recent disturbances in Torkum, Chaman and Malakand, the tourism industry have compiled figures and anticipated that the industry will grow in the year 1996-2000.

The forex earning for 1996 is estimated at $611.74 million with the arrival of atleast 0.718 million tourists while during 1997 it has been projected at $703.75 million with the arrival of 0.827 million tourists.

The sources further expects earnings of $808.55 million in 1998 if 0.947 million tourists arrived in the country, while an amount of 930 million in 1999 and 1.1 bvillion has been projected for the year 2000.