Pakistan named No 1 travel destination for 2020

Pakistan was on Saturday named the top holiday destination for travelers for the year 2020 by the United States-based luxury and lifestyle publication Conde Nast Traveler. The listing follows several positive reviews of the tourist attractions in the country by travel bloggers, YouTube vloggers, magazines and adventure clubs.

It would not be wrong to say that the world is waking up to the enormous tourism potential Pakistan has, and with a government willing to invest in the sector to boost economic growth, the year 2020 could be pivotal in shaping the tourism industry of the country. It could put Pakistan firmly on the adventure map for travel enthusiasts.

Last week, travel company Wild Frontiers named Pakistan as the country to travel to in 2020. In a short announcement, the company tipped Pakistan as the next big destination for a couple of years, reporting a 20 per cent increase in customers willing to travel to Pakistan compared to 2018.

In 2018, the British Backpacker Society had also ranked Pakistan the number one travel destination in the world.  

As the world comes to Pakistan in 2020, here is a list of holiday destinations in the country for anyone who wishes to experience adventure and beauty on their travels to the country. 

Naran Kaghan

The Naran Kaghan valley always tops the list of places to visit while touring northern Pakistan. The valley is replete with beautiful scenery and pleasant weather through the summer months, although it does get chilly in the winters.

Skardu

Skardu is a paradise for climbers and trekkers. The ever-flowing Indus river runs along the length of the region, and finds its path through mountains, valleys and forests.

Hunza

On the third place, we have the crimson valley of Hunza that is well known for being colourful and having a rich historical background. Hunza has so many captivating spots that they cannot all be depicted here.

Ziarat

Ziarat is also a place that should be explored. Located in the south-western province of Balochistan, and encompassed by mountains, the area is a popular tourist spot both in the summers and winters.

In addition to positive reviews, the tourism industry in the country has also been given a local boost by new policies adopted by the government. Prime Minister Imran Khan, earlier this year, announced a new visa policy for 175 countries to promote tourism and investments in Pakistan.

The new policy drops the requirement of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for foreign travelers to visit certain areas. The requirement of an NOC, however, remains in place for visiting border regions. In June this year, British Airways also resumed flight operations to Pakistan.