The push has resulted in an influx of foreign travel bloggers extolling the virtues of its mountains and beaches, as well as its rich heritage and history, from ancient Indus civilisations to Buddhist shrines and Islamic monuments. “Pakistan, it was the trip of a lifetime,” food and travel YouTuber Mark Wiens told his four million subscribers. But there are concerns influencer content does not reflect the major challenges, from infrastructure to extremism, that Pakistan is facing as it embraces modern tourism. Zu Beck, whose clip was even shared by officials, cites government commerce initiative Emerging Pakistan, as well as Pakistan International Airlines as partners she’s worked with, while Wiens credits tourism expo Pakistan Travel Mart for “making the amazing trip happen”. “People believe them,” says Pakistan Travel Mart CEO Ali Hamdani, who helped set up Wiens’ trip, adding that bloggers’ impressions are regarded as “authentic”.

Source: The Star April 26, 2019 01:30 UTC