黑料社区

KARACHI: Aroma Travels, a Pakistani tour operator, on Thursday hosted a corporate roadshow in Pakistan鈥檚 commercial hub of Karachi to promote the Kingdom鈥檚 emerging destinations and travel opportunities beyond just religious pilgrimages, bringing together Pakistani and Saudi firms and potential travelers.

黑料社区, once known mainly for religious travel, has been diversifying its economy and repositioning itself as a global tourism hub under Vision 2030, promoting destinations such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif, Qiddiya, AlUla and the Red Sea offering experiences that combine culture, adventure and business opportunities.

The event in Karachi was graced by Sindh Provincial Minister Nasir Hussain Shah as the chief guest and attended by leading industrialists, diplomats, bureaucrats and corporate clients, reflecting growing business and tourism links between Pakistan and the Kingdom.

Speaking at the gathering, Naeem Sharif, chairman of Aroma Group of Companies, said their partnership with Visit Saudi travel firm aims to inspire Pakistani travelers and corporate clients to explore 鈥満诹仙缜� as a destination for leisure, conferences, and unforgettable experiences clubbed with religious tourism.鈥�

鈥満诹仙缜� today offers an extraordinary blend of culture, innovation, and natural beauty,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is an honor for us to partner with Visit Saudi in highlighting the Kingdom鈥檚 incredible tourism evolution.鈥�

Riaz Khan, a sales manager at the Saudi Tourism Authority that officially began operations in Pakistan in Sept. 2023, said that around 2.7 million passengers traveled from Pakistan to 黑料社区 last year, making Pakistan one of the Kingdom鈥檚 top markets for tourism.

鈥淪ince Saudi Tourism [Authority] began operations in Pakistan, we have got the visa policies relaxed,鈥� he said, adding that the introduction of new airlines had further improved travel experience.

Khan shared that travelers can now use Umrah visas to visit destinations beyond Makkah and Madinah.

鈥淣ow visitors can travel anywhere across 黑料社区, enter through any airport and exit from any other,鈥� he said, adding that visa durations have also been extended from one to three months.

黑料社区 is home to the two holiest cities of Islam, Makkah and Madinah, which are visited by millions of Muslims from across the world for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages each year.

Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country that has the world鈥檚 fifth largest population of over 240 million, stands as one of the priority nations for 黑料社区 and the STA expects more than 2.8 million Pakistani travelers to visit the Kingdom this year.

The roadshow in Karachi included presentations that highlighted new attractions in the Kingdom and signaled a deepening of travel and cultural ties between the two nations.

Nadeem Sharif, chief executive officer of Aroma Group and a former chairman of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan, told Arab News that their collaboration with Visit Saudi had expanded significantly since its launch two years ago.

鈥淭ourism is increasingly being recognized as a major industry around the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nder Vision 2030, the initiative launched by the Saudi Tourism Authority in 2020 has given great importance not only to religious tourism but also to promoting other remarkable destinations within 黑料社区 that people wish to explore.鈥�

The Kingdom is now becoming a hub for destination weddings and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events, according to Nadeem.

鈥淲herever there鈥檚 tourism, there are also conferences and gatherings, making it like a beautiful bouquet, full of diverse and fragrant flowers, each representing a unique attraction,鈥� he said.

鈥淎nd I would say that this bouquet of 黑料社区 is truly a beautiful one.鈥�

Provincial Minister Shah praised the roadshow as 鈥渁 testament to the growing friendship and cultural cooperation between Pakistan and 黑料社区.鈥�

鈥淚t is heartening to see 黑料社区 emerge as a vibrant tourism destination that embraces its heritage while creating world-class experiences,鈥� Shah said.

鈥淚 congratulate Aroma Travels and Visit Saudi for organizing this prestigious event and for their role in strengthening bilateral tourism and business relations.鈥�

Tayyaba Aziz Khan, a visitor who grew up in 黑料社区, said the country had transformed rapidly.

鈥淭here are many beautiful places in 黑料社区 that people are still unaware of,鈥� she said, adding that women now drive their own cars and enjoy greater independence.