by Misbah Saba Malik
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Haidar Baig's father once ran a small gift shop in Shigar district of Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, earning most of his income during the peak tourism season in June and July. In recent years, however, the growing influx of domestic tourists, facilitated by improved road connectivity under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has transformed the family business.
Seeing the steady rise in visitors, Baig decided after graduating from college to expand his father's business rather than seek a job elsewhere. Today, the family runs a much larger gift shop, "The Baig's Treasure," in the heart of Shigar.
"Due to improved road connectivity, travel has become cheaper, and people from even southern Sindh province now frequently visit the northern areas. Initially, only wealthy people who could afford air travel could come, but now CPEC is gradually changing that equation. Because of better roads, a large number of middle-income families also visit and spend time in the mountain areas," Baig told Xinhua.
Baig is not alone. Across the region, improved road connectivity has helped local businesses expand as more tourists travel to previously remote destinations.
"CPEC has played a great role in promoting domestic tourism in Pakistan. Access to areas that were previously considered remote and far-flung has improved with the development of a vast road network connecting the southern, eastern and northern parts of the country," Aftab Ur Rehman Rana, managing director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), told Xinhua.
According to Pakistan's Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, the 392-km Sukkur-Multan Motorway has made road travel between Punjab and Sindh shorter and more convenient, while the 120-km Havelian-Thakot section of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) has improved connectivity toward the scenic northern areas.
As more tourists arrive, businesses ranging from hotels and restaurants to transport services, handicrafts and retail shops are benefiting from the expanding tourism economy.
Talking to Xinhua, Muhammad Ali, a tourist who took a road trip from the country's southern port city of Karachi to Gilgit with his family last month, said that a friend had recommended the trip after improved roads shortened travel time.
"We wanted to explore the northern areas as a family, but the long journey and high cost of air travel had discouraged us in the past. With improved roads, traveling by car has become more affordable and flexible," Ali told Xinhua.
He said the journey itself had become part of the experience, allowing his family to stop at different places along the route and spend money at local restaurants and shops.
Multan district in the country's eastern Punjab province offers another glimpse into how improved connectivity is reshaping Pakistan's tourism and hospitality landscape.
Once primarily known as a historic and commercial center of southern Punjab, the district has increasingly emerged as an important stop for business travelers moving between different parts of the country.
Talking to Xinhua, Farhan Hussain, a tour operator in Multan, said improved road links have made it easier for businessmen, investors and other travelers to reach the city, bringing a steady stream of visitors who need places to stay, eat and conduct meetings.
"The change brought by CPEC is clearly visible in Multan's hospitality sector, where many new hotels and restaurants have emerged to cater to growing demand. Unlike the northern areas, Multan is neither primarily a leisure destination nor a major tourist hub. Nevertheless, the number of travelers visiting the city has increased rapidly, particularly for business and shopping," he added.
For local entrepreneurs, the growing flow of visitors means a larger customer base and new opportunities to expand businesses that once relied largely on local customers.
"Multan's handicrafts, traditional dresses and jewelry are unique in their design and quality. In the past, the city was mainly visited by wholesale dealers, who purchased these products and took them to other parts of the country. With better road connectivity, however, we are now seeing a growing influx of end consumers who come directly to the city and throng its markets for shopping," Hussain said.
From the winding roads of Gilgit-Baltistan to the growing hotel sector of Multan, improved connectivity under CPEC is bringing people, businesses and markets closer together, helping tourism become an increasingly important source of income and entrepreneurship for communities across Pakistan. ■
