Tourism Potential and Constraints: An Analysis of Tourist Spatial Attributes in Pakistan

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the tremendous tourism potential in Pakistan and the constraints that are hampering its growth and economic development. Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. As one of the world’s largest industries, tourism is associated with many prime sectors of the world economy. The potential impact of tourism is considerable in Pakistan. The major economic activity of northern and western areas of the country is directly or indirectly related to tourism. Since the country possesses a diverse physical and cultural landscape, it offers a variety of tourism opportunities to boost local economy in these areas. Despite the importance of tourism for the economy, it is relatively low among national priorities. The study also focuses on the social development level of these tourism potential areas using multivariate data base.