Pakistan's Tourism Minister Dr. G. G. Jamal says due to consistent efforts, foreign tourism achieved 23.2% remarkable growth in Pakistan and set a new record by hosting 798,300 Tourists in 2005 compared to 648,000 in 2004. The foreign exchange earning in 2005 was $185.3 million. Pakistan achieved high growth in tourists' arrival from all major tourists generating markets. The minister told the reporters that the main tourist market for Pakistan in 2005 was Europe, generating 356,800, showing increase of 27%, followed by the United States, Pacific & East Asian and Middle East. During in 2005, the Ministry of Tourism and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation in collaboration with private sector participated in a number of international tourism and hospitality trade shows and also successfully organized tourism promotional events in Pakistan like National Skiing Competition at Malam Jaba, Gandhara Week, Para Gliding Gala at Islamabad, PakistanSri Lanka Joint Working Group on Tourism, Session of WTO Commission for South Asia and last but not the least International Travel & Holiday Mart at Karachi. Jamal said it was due to the efforts made by the Government of Pakistan and our Foreign Missions abroad to promote Pakistan as a dynamic, progressive, moderate and democratic Islamic Country. Improved macroeconomic performance generating more trade and foreign direct investment in trade and services and development of friendly relations with all countries, especially with major tourist generating countries are some of the other factors, which led to increase tourists arrival in Pakistan in 2005, the minister said.
