Role of tourism in the coming years

Tourism in Pakistan is considered as the tourism industry’s “next big thing”. Pakistan, with its diverse cultures, hospitable people and breathtaking landscapes, has attracted 90 million tourists to the country in the past decade. The country has seen a decline due to increased terrorism activities. However, the current security situation in Pakistan has not only improved but positively impacted the tourism sector.

There had been a time when local people stopped traveling within their home country due to security threats and various other negative reasons. The pattern has significantly changed as locals are more interested in traveling within Pakistan to the beautiful places they have only heard of. To trust the local travelers, Pakistan is immensely gifted with natural beauty and tourist spots that are equally attractive, if not better than, as any other foreign tourist destination.

We can’t deny the fact that tourism has and can add major value to our economy. Spectacular sites in the northern areas, hill stations, extremely charmingvalleys and mountain ranges, cultural heritage sites, monuments and landmarks are just a few places to must visit.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the total contribution of travel & tourism to the GDP of Pakistan was 6.9% in the year 2014 and is expected to rise by 5.6% per annum by 2025. Apart from upgrading the economy, travel and tourism will help increase employment as well as attract both local and foreign investments. The more foreign tourists arrive, the more foreign money will be spent in the country.

The different components of tourism will independently play a vital role towards improving the economy. Be itleisure travel, business travel, foreign or local travel, the economy will benefit by all. With the increasing traveling opportunities in Pakistan, easy access to places and knowledge about making travel easy and affordable, people are indulging more in domestic tourism before they head out abroad.

We can already experience a lot of investments taking place. The government has invested in various establishments like ‘Metro Bus’, ‘Sightseeing Lahore’, ‘See Islamabad’ and ‘Karachi-Gwadar Ferry Service’ that are all set to boost the tourism industry. Private organizations have also taken certain steps. For example, Jovago.com is the pioneer organization to launch online hotel booking platform for tourists with an objective to promote domestic tourism in Pakistan.

Changing perceptions about online travel websites

With the wide adoption of e-commerce in travel and tourism industry, the internet has become an important channel for service delivery. The traditional travel agencies that devise the entire trip for the traveler, including tickets, accommodation and itinerary, are still widely functioning in Pakistan. Apart from this, travel service providers are also shifting towards online service. This can be seen as a positive initiative as the internet usage has majorly increased nowadays. 



The problem that still persists is the idea of moving from traditional travel agencies to online travel services. Online services are highly believed to be insecure and unauthentic. We can’t blame the general public to have this attitude due to many fraudulent activities that occurred through online websites. The good part is that these activities are fading as online security is being increased by various checks. The difficult part, however, is to change people’s perceptions about online travel websites. 

Online travel websites include airplane/train/metro tickets, hotel booking, car rental service, details of tourist destinations and online guides. These websites remove the agent in the middle and makes it easier for the traveler to search, review, select and book for themselves. Booking transportation is the easiest as they have their own websites where you can search for your best possible option. There are several websites that display cheap rates. Similarly, there are many online hotels booking websites that display a number of hotels throughout Pakistan. Jovago.com is the first and leading online hotel booking platform with more than 2000 hotels on its portfolio. 

Not only booking, but searching for the best tourist destinations, things to do and different guides about traveling, are all present on different travel blogs. Travel agents have a limited selection of hotels and packages. With online travel websites, you have full control over organizing your holiday trip. So, what are you waiting for, get online and get going.

Traveling the world on a small budget

There is one general answer to the question why people often restrict themselves from traveling. What holds back people from traveling is ‘money.’ Whenever asked, people simply say that they are tight on budgets or have very less or no savings at all. The only way to change the generic view about traveling is to believe in the statement that you don’t have to be rich to travel.

With that being said, you can easily travel the world on a tight budget. Most of us have an average amount of savings that we would rather spend on something else than traveling for a holiday. Firstly, you need to make your priorities clear. If traveling is a priority for you, you better assign that saved money to your leisure trip that you had been planning since ages but never ended up going.

This article will guide you step by step on how to travel the world on a small budget.

Plan Ahead

The first step is simply to plan your trip ahead. Search for the places that you would love to visit, make a list of all and research on them. Shortlist the ones that are the cheapest for tourists or the ones that fall between your budget. Try not to travel in the peak seasons as the price of everything is at the highest. Make the use of internet to search for websites offering cheap airline tickets.

Avoid spending unnecessarily

Don’t hire a travel guide when you can take your gadgets with you to guide you about tourist spots, how to get there, the maps and their relevance. Try to take taxi ride to and fro and avoid renting a car for your trip. If a certain tourist spot requires more money, skip that. Do not opt for breakfast at the hotel you’re staying in as well as avoid availing any extra services they offer. Explore the places that are free of cost, spend the least on food, admire the natural beauty and you’re good to go.

Say no to Shopping

Shopping is the last thing you would want to do on your economical trip. Yes, holidays are about spoiling yourself, eating and hanging out, shopping and having the time of your life. However, shopping takes the most of our savings while we skip on other fascinating things we can do there. Remember, you can shop back at home too, it is more important to take back experiences you can share with everyone and memories that you can always cherish.

The world is a beautiful place, so don’t restrict yourself from admiring it. Happy traveling.

Things to Consider While Selecting a Hotel

What is the most exciting part about traveling? Well, you get to go on a vacation! Even if it’s a business trip, you can always take time out to have fun at a new place. Of course, there are several things connected with traveling that you want to experience or achieve. F  lying out to a new destination, exploring some amazing tourist spots, witnessing and living the inspiring cultures, indulging in local activities, trying out  traditional delicacies  and building some everlasting memories are a few to name. 

As much as we want to walk out of the daily routine into a sweet vacation, planning out a vacation can be difficult. Deciding the destination, devising your budget, booking a flight, finding and selecting a hotel and what not, the list simply goes on. So, how do you choose the best hotel for you? There are certain factors tourists should consider while selecting the hotel and booking a room with them. Keep reading to find out what these factors are.

Location

The first thing that people often think of while traveling is the  location of their hotel . You would want a hotel that is situated at the center of the city, having a prime location. It makes it easier for you to travel to any place in equal time. Again, it completely depends. You might want a hotel that is away from the city so that you may enjoy the serenity of that remote area. You can browse and select one of the hotels in your desired location.

Price

What’s in my purse? It must sound familiar if you are a frequent traveler. Vacations take up a lot of your savings and the main chunk usually goes into tickets and accommodation. You will surely find a variety of options that will fit your budget as well as in the location you are looking for.

Services

What amenities a hotel offers under a certain price is the next question. The onsite facilities like pool or restaurant, wi-fi/internet connection, complimentary breakfast, laundry, airport pick up and car rental services, well-furnished and comfortable rooms and friendly and compliant staff are some of the many services that are really important to a guest.

Reviews

The best way to classify which hotel fits all the requirements is to look for reviews. It is in human nature to search other’s opinions about something. Honest and genuine reviews are your ultimate helper. After you have researched yourself, it is always better to ask around.  Jovago.com  provides the widest range of hotels online and makes it easier for the clients to choose by providing  reviews  directly from the customers.

How traveling can help you live again

It is so common to have a feeling that your life has become so boring and you just don’t know what to do with it. You might feel like there is nothing more to life because of your hectic and monotonous routine. Is it so that your life has become dull and colorless? I don’t think there is much to worry about because there is a simple solution to it. Have you traveled somewhere lately? In the past month, in the past year or in the past 5 years? Traveling helps your life revive and fill those black and white moments with colors.

There is a  misconception about traveling  that it is a luxury that only rich can afford. You do need some funds but that doesn’t mean you have to be rich. There are several budget friendly traveling ideas that are equally good and mesmerizing. Ever wondered how someone on your Facebook friends list is all over the newsfeed with their travel diaries so often? Well, they know how to do it.

The first thing you need to do is set your mind towards traveling and that it can help you live again. It is definitely an escape from your routine life, you get to  visit a new place  and explore so many things that you might have never even heard of. Stop viewing the world through television or the internet and go experience yourself.

If your mind is set about traveling but you just need that one push to make you leave your seat, just remember that old age is not guaranteed to anyone.

Traveling is mostly postponed thinking, “I don’t have enough money,” “I can’t travel alone,” “I don’t have time,” and most common, “I will think about it later.”  Take a break  from your life and just do it! Trust me, you will thank yourself later.
Look for options that lie perfectly within your budget and go on to enjoy life, make new memories and share your experiences with the world. After all, the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for n  ewer and richer experience. It’s as simple as that, when life gives you lemons, travel and make the most out of it.

Deciding where to travel next

Traveling is definitely a sweet escape from the daily routine of life. However, it sometimes becomes stressful to plan out your holiday trip from beginning to the end. Apart from basic pre traveling errands like buying tickets, booking hotels, getting stuff together and packing it and many more, there might as well be another important decision to make before heading out for a vacation. 

Sometimes, you have the idea of taking a time off and going for a  holiday trip   . But what is absent here is the exact destination to travel to. If you have had such moments and are afraid that you might have again, this is the right article to read on. Let’s look at some steps to make deciding where to travel next easier.

Like every other time, before taking a decision, people tend to and certainly should brainstorm. Break the thinking process down to steps and ask questions to yourself.

Why do you want to travel?
Do you want to relax? Do you want to party? Do you want to be alone? Again, a question is followed by a number of constructive questions. You can easily sort out the places that fall under these categories. You can look for islands to relax, or a busy  city that never sleeps  so you may party all night too.

How long to travel for?
First and foremost, determine the number of days that you can spare for your vacation. The more days you have, the far you can travel to and vice versa. You might even fly to a nearby city if you have just a few days in hand.

What’s your budget?
You can surely cut down on different costs and make your trip cheaper, but it will most definitely take up a chunk of your savings. If you can easily fund airfare for a long flight, find the right accommodation in low price and make a list of touristy things to do under your budget, you’re good to go.

Are you traveling with someone?
Traveling alone or with someone, both have their own pros and cons. If traveling with a partner, you can mutually decide on the location, bear the costs equally and share the stress from planning to execution. However, if  traveling alone , you don’t have to worry about whether or not your travel partner may like your ideas and recommendations regarding the trip.

At the end of the day, it’s your decision so don’t overthink and stress about it too much. A holiday trip is always fun, you should probably worry about how you can make it the most memorable one. Happy traveling y’all!

Service Sales Corporation signs Jaffer Business Systemsfor IT Solutions

Lahore, 23rd March 2016: Leading Pakistani retailer, M/S Service Sales Corporation (SSC)has inked MOU with Jaffer Business Systems(JBS) for IT client-end managed services and infrastructure solutions.

Information technology in Pakistan is a growing and rising industry with a lot of potential to offer to local business sector.Considering the futuristic importance of IT business solutions, SSC the market leader in footwear industry collaborated with Jaffer Business Systems, a leading IT solution provider to elevate its IT systems for better efficiency & enhanced customer experience. 

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Shahid Hussain, CEO Service Sales Corporation (SSC) said, “We at SSC believe in continuous improvement and capacity building in our business operations to create value for our customers, which is not possible without adhering to the modern IT business solutions.Today we live in theera of IT & digital technology and with this MOU signing with JBS we will now strengthen our service quality with an improved and better customer experience”.

Mr. Veqar ul Islam, CEO, Jaffer Business Systems on the occasion said “We are glad to be partnering with a progressive company like SSC for theIT managed service set up across SSC’s 500 stores nationwide along with their IT infrastructure requirements. JBS prides itself as an innovative business solution provider to its customers, a skill we have accomplished through extensive years of experience and expertise in the field of IT.”

Mr. Jalal Ahmed, SSC Chief Information Officer on this occasion said, “SSC has always been at the forefront of taking new initiatives for best customer experience across Pakistan. We remain a sustained market leader, setting higher standards in industry practice and have a meaningful impact on the lives of our customers, employee’s community and shareholders through innovation and capability of our people”.

Okara- the Mini Lahore

 

Okara is the capital city of Okara district, located in Punjab. The name Okara comes from the term ‘Okaan’ which was a forest before the city was built over it. The city is mostly popular for its agriculture based economy, cotton mills and cattle breed. There are various textile mills as well as dairy farms located in Okara. So, most of your favorite dairy products like cheese, is produced here. Other productions include Maize and potato.

It is commonly known as the ‘Mini Lahore’ as it has progressed from a forest to a city with many prominent developments. It lies on the southwest of Lahore and is a 100 km distance from River Ravi. There are small villages near the city where women involve in the making of toys that are as good as international quality and are exported abroad.

JOVAGO’S TOP 3

Okara Golf Club

People in Okara are fond of playing golf and even the tourists never miss the chance of playing the game in the Okara Golf club. Thus, it is the first recommendation from Jovago to the tourists who plan to travel to Okara. There are several golf courses in the city but the Golf Club tops them all.

Rides and Tides

Rides and Tides is an amusement park in Okara that was established in 2013 with the support of local district government. The park has water rides, theme rides and other fun activities for people of all ages. If you’re traveling with your family, this is the spot to be at.

Mitchell’s Fruit Farm

Most of us have taken a tour of the candies, chocolates and fizzy drinks factories. Okara is home to the one of the oldest factories, Mitchell’s Fruit farm that was founded in the early 1930s. Their products include jams, ketchup, fruit drinks, chocolates, candies and much more. Getting to see how these are produced would be really fascinating.

TIPS

Restaurants

The famous eateries in the city are Heritage Restaurant Okara and Dawat Restaurant. According to customer and tourists’ reviews, these places not only have a wide variety in delicious food but also has great ambience to enjoy with friends and family.

Shopping

The Okara Shopping Center is the most popular shopping place where you will find almost anything and everything, along with different food outlets. Don’t forget to buy the best quality dairy products.

Hotels

Jovago.com makes booking process easy and effective. Log on to our website and find the best hotel options to choose from.

Modern Villages of Pakistan

 

Whenever we hear the word village, the only thing that comes to mind is ‘rural life.’ Especially if it’s a Pakistani village, it is seen as a poor area of the country where there is nothing but poverty and lack of basic necessities.  However, a village is a village because of its small size of area and population. Villages are typically perpetual, with fixed dwellings that are close to one another. There is no place that is more cultural and has more historic traditions attached to it than an old village.

We usually confuse Pakistani villages to be seriously deprived. Nonetheless, this article will identify the top villages in Pakistan that are way more modernized than any other metropolitan city. Being underrated in Pakistan, these villages have adopted modern techniques and better options to live. Keep reading to explore some of these and know their interesting facts.

FatuDedo

This is probably the cleanest place in Pakistan. Why, well because the inhabitants take care of the village’s cleanliness themselves. Instead of relying on the government, this village situated in Sindh has strict laws against littering where you are charged a fine doing that. The villagers also contribute money monthly to keep their village free of pollution.

Ehsanpur

Ehsanpur village resides in KotAddu near Muzaffargarh which has never had electricity power. To fix this problem and give access to electricity to the houses, there is a solar system installed on 20 acres and now this village fully relies on solar energy. 166 houses are powered by this solar energy project taken up by the villagers. Ever seen a village this advanced?

BastiTabu

As a nation, we all wish and encourage each other to take responsibility of our country and own it, instead of relying on the government or any organization as such. This village in Sadiquabad runs itself as well as resolves issues without any assistance from the government.  The sewerage system is as so that the disposed water is collected through covert passages and is later used for fields.

Rasoolpur Village

Rasoolpur village lies in Punjab and like the rest of the Punjab, very forward and enthusiastic in terms of education. They have been rated to have 100% literacy rate and all the kids have access to schools with 100% enrollment as well. Another astonishing and interesting fact about this village in Pakistan is that it has zero crime rates. Yes, Rasoolpur is safer than many famous places.

So, apart from natural beauty in Pakistan to attract tourists, these ultramodern and systematized Pakistani villages are so intimidating that you would definitely want to pay them a visit.