How illegal tour operators exploit Pakistan’s summer travel surge?

LAHORE: Summer is in full swing in Pakistan, with increasing numbers of tourists heading to the northern regions to escape the sizzling temperatures of the cities. However, many travellers fall victim to unregistered tour operators, who lure them by offering cheap packages that often result in the provision of poor facilities, substandard accommodations, and second-rate food.

Travelers have two options: going with friends and family in private vehicles or using tour operators’ services.

If you use social media and search for travel-related information, you’ll likely see countless ads from companies offering tours. However, the proliferation of tour operators makes it difficult for the public to decide which company to trust. It is essential to verify if a company is operating legally before making a decision.

Muhammad Farooq from Lahore traveled to Naran last summer with a company named “Easy Travels”. He had seen an advertisement on Instagram and booked the trip.

“The company’s name and rates were reasonable, so I decided to book with them. At the appointed time, I met the group outside a bus stand, where an old coaster was waiting. But the quality of food and accommodation we were provided with was below par and I decided against future trips with the company,” he told Urdu News.

The ‘tour operator’ Farooq traveled with is no longer available on Instagram, but hundreds of similar companies with cheap packages still advertise offering tours to the northern regions.

When Urdu News contacted several companies, many were unwilling to discuss their operations directly, and some did not respond to written questions about their official registration status.

An anonymous source with years of experience in the industry explained that many tour operators pop up only during the summer, operating through Facebook and Instagram pages.

“A five-day tour plan can generate an income of Rs70,000 to Rs100,000, with two to three tours a month. Due to this seasonal business, most do not register their companies. These operators often know each other and sometimes consolidate bookings if they get a few number of people, leaving tourists to wonder about the actual company they had booked their tour. None of these operators are officially registered,” he said.

The Department of Tour Services (DTS) in Pakistan is responsible for registering and regulating tour operators.

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Saqib Ali, co-founder of the registered company Destination Pakistan, stated that the proliferation of illegal operators has severely affected their business.

He said that they now primarily cater to foreign tourists, as they have complete documentation and can issue visa invitations.

Saqib Ali noted that many illegal tour operators are merely guides who offer cheap packages to tourists, reducing the likelihood of repeat business for registered companies. He estimated that around five to six hundred illegal tour operators are working in Pakistan.

Illegal Tour Operators Are Unsafe

Ghazanfar Ali, deputy controller of the DTS in Punjab, emphasised that traveling with unregistered tour operators is unsafe.

These operators lack offices and accountability, often operating solely online, leading to numerous complaints.

According to official records, there are around 200 registered tour operators in Pakistan.

When asked about the registration process and the lack of action against illegal operators, Ghazanfar Ali explained that the annual renewal fee is only Rs35,000. The DTS was initially a federal institution, but after the 18th amendment, it was transferred to the provinces, he said.

The provinces have yet to frame their own laws, so federal laws are still in practice.

He said that the DTS takes notice and, in cases of non-compliance, takes action through the FIA. Ali advised people to avoid social media advertisements and trust only registered tour operators.

The rise of unregistered tour companies on social media is also harming the national exchequer, he said.