The Implications of Tourism Development Globally

Professor Jenkins, you have done a lot of research and the consulting project globally, What do you think about the implications of the Belt and Road Initiative on tourism development globally? Well,globally is having enormous implications. Because two things, one the immediately the impact I think through the connectivity,agenda will be on Asian countries, making sure that tourists can, not just tourists but trade also can connect one country to another. Another thing is going to be very very important, globally is going to have another effect which many people never thought about， I didn’t think anyway.

Another is as you begin to develop countries in the where we called it the Asia inter land then it is going to inject into world tourism another degree of competitiveness. Because already southeast Asia is the most dynamic tourism region in terms of these survivals, these developments so I think this whole business, this whole vision, that what it is. This’s a vision will affect not just similar trades not just be through infrastructure development very important, but it was suddenly made available to a lot more people. Tourist attractions in countries which have the moment they both think of as tourist destination.

Take an example, if you look to see Thailand, you moved very often and Thailand the movement is the fourteenth largest tourists international tourists receiving country well, ten million Chinese already go to Thailand,in Chiang Mai well-known place one million Chinese go. What you think is not just the effect, all of Chinese tourists, but wait a moment, if they are tourists, we need to satisfy them, we need to get much more education in Chinese language, Chinese custom, Chinese cuisine for example. If you look another example in Asia, well in Vietnam they are very rapidly developing its tourism not just internationally, but also beginning to spread impact of the tourism to areas of Vietnam, which was never done before, that’s developmental.

Let’s talk Africa for example, they are many, but if you take advance of Kenya you will find Kenya for a very long time as from tourism to be as major foreign exchange. So as this concept developed, and more and more potential tourism destinations will come to the market, and include Pakistan. Pakistan,in my view, as we know implications is one of the undiscovered gems in Asia, it’s this development going to unlock, more and more people come to the region, and also more and more people accessing countries which never wants to be regarded as being tourism destinations.

Speaking of Pakistan, Professor Khan, you have done a lot of research in your country, so what is your view regarding the Belt and Road Initiative and its implications for Pakistan tourism? Well Pakistan, as Professor mentioned, that it has been always a destination for tourists, but unfortunately it has not been discovered. Pakistan has been announced by one of the British forum,Society,the number one adventure destination in the world.

And as far as Pakistan always offer a lot of attractions to the tourists, for example heritage attractions, natural attractions, and it has now through the implication of B&R, we have a separate route that is called CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and it is being thinking that this route is the shortest land route, and it also offers the shortest marine time route, that both of them passing through Pakistan. And it’s not only connecting China to the rest of the world, but also the center Asian countries and Euro-Asia. So Pakistan is strategically in the middle of B&R.

And to tourism,basically as Professor mentioned, one of the great barrier for tourism is infrastructure, So infrastructure is developing, attractions are there, so hopefully the world search for and now will discover Pakistan, and through Pakistan, maybe they get to China. And for me,actually China and Pakistan Economic Corridor is a marvelous man made adventure, because it is touching the highest of 15000 feets above sea level, so definitely, tourists will attract to this area, and not only to this, but also huge spend coming. And we see that Pakistan is the hub of trade, Pakistan is hub of tourism in the coming 20-30 years.