Cooperation to Develop Tourism

Now let’s move to the next question, let’s talk about the level of development. As you can imagine, the Belt and Road countries they vary based on the level of development, for example their political systems are different, the cultural difference, the economic difference. How can we foster cooperation between these countries to development tourism together? Thank you’ve touched here one of the fundamental problems in the expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative. Because existing rules, different countries have different level of development, usually development here economically, socially,culturally and sometimes politically as well. So the level if you like is a multi-dimensional phenomenon.

That’s the first point, the second thing is this, let’s assume you’re on a high speed railway into a country like somewhere else, the fact you have a better access does necessity to make the development because you come on to this area. Which is always discussed? I think it’s fundamentally important, that’s a question of policy. With what you find in any country, you want to look at now in the world tourism has different priorities. So in China is regarded as a pillar industry. If you like most European countries, the earning and the passive tourism making them about safe in most European economics.

In Africa economics, you find that the earning of foreign exchange which is all for a measurable barrier to development, not enough money to buy expertise for the development. Tourism is the essentially addressing that particular thing. So again when I say you need a policy, then the other thing you have to recognize the different countries have different political systems. So if you look China as an example, the development of China, not just tourism but development straight forwardly is driven by government, is a centralized system. In many countries in Europe, it tends be driven by the private sector, was an important government course.

In many African countries, this beginning to change traditionally, it was always government, but now as tourism develops, as the private sector sees more the opportunities, not just falling in the local investment, the balance shifting. So one of the things I think in developing tourism as an aspect is a very important aspect. All the Belt and Road must be the ability particularly for Chinese government to offer support in policy initiatives. Because whatever the country is, there is no country in the world which is rich enough to develop all this potential. So one of the big question will be what do we develop first in tourism? What is that make us competitive? Why would people to come to our country?

And what did you make that decision? The other side of the decision, of course is how do your community, how does the location and development react to it. This two sides, this investment side and this reaction side and this impact side. But without any doubt, I think many of these countries are going to need substantial help and support in crafting the policy for tourism, which support national policy and dozens countries with it. Thank you! And professor Khan, what’s Pakistan experience in working with China on the tourism related issues. Well,there is not such starting under the tourism sector.

What as the Professor had discussed the development of the sector from the government side and from the private side, I will say that through CPEC, now if you can just go to Pakistan, you will see that private sector is getting more interested in trade and especially in tourism hospitality sector. Such as Hayat, it is an international brand hotel, and PC and Marriott and Hotel one and different restaurant chains. They are investing hugely in Pakistan. And though a few year ago when people was talking about Pakistan, so they were afraid terrorism and things like that. But when the China Government has taken this initiative and just they started working in Pakistan, so Pakistan get back, from the situation and bounce back.

And now everywhere in Pakistan, as Professor talked about socially, all our people is accepting it socially, and there is a huge rally from China to Pakistan. And a lot of Chinese people come to Pakistan and people will welcome them whole heartedly, and even just ask them to come to their home and join them. So for me, China and Pakistan, it always two part of one body. So Pakistani people and Chinese are just like brothers and sisters. There will be no issue in Pakistan, but there are other countries they are will be and they must be some problems,there are some critiques. This China-Pakistan Economic Corridor of B&R,so China will face serious issues at other regions.

For example, now the case of Afghanistan, so that in the hold Indian now a days and the US, so that make things some a little bit different, but hopefully with the passage of time, because B&R as I mentioned earlier, it is offering to every country, may be to some a bit high, may be to some a bit low, but it is offering benefits, and benefits to everyone. It creates a win-win situation for the countries, so now in the beginning, there was only of 34 countries.

Now you can see 72 countries have signed agreements for B&R, so its means that every country that think it is a way for development, it is a way for earning foreign exchange, it is a way for making the society more social.Because people when cross culture, things happens, exchange happen, so the people mind get developed and they get more socially developed. So B&R is not only a plan for economic development, it is for social development, it is for culture development, and it will bring fruits to different areas.