In my previous column (‘Pakistan’s tourism blindspot’, July 14), I explored how Pakistan, despite its immense cultural and natural wealth, continues to underperform in the global tourism economy due to the absence of real-time data, smart governance and institutional foresight.

However, following its publication, several readers, tourism professionals, development experts and international travellers pointed out what seems obvious in hindsight but was omitted in my initial, policy-centric approach: that tourism is as much about personal freedoms and cultural comfort as it is about numbers, indices or dashboards.

At its core, tourism is an experience economy. And experience begins not with arrival, but with the expectation of comfort, freedom and dignity. Today’s international traveller, whether from Berlin, Bangkok or British Columbia, isn’t just visiting for scenery. They want safety, personal freedom, clean and comfortable infrastructure, and the cultural space to be themselves. In many of these areas, Pakistan continues to falter.

Take something as basic as weather-appropriate attire. With summer temperatures in most of the country crossing 40 C, international visitors, especially women, seek the liberty to dress comfortably. Yet they often find themselves navigating a social minefield where public staring, judgment, and, at times, harassment are normalised. While Pakistani society tolerates men loitering and gazing without consequence, it shows little acceptance for women, even foreign women, choosing clothing based on climate, not convention. This hypocrisy, rooted in cultural rigidity rather than law, becomes a silent but powerful deterrent to female tourists, and by extension, to many families and groups considering Pakistan as a destination.

Freedom of movement is another stumbling block. Tourists want to explore a place on their own terms, not shadowed by security protocols or stifled by suspicion. Pakistan’s genuine concerns around safety should not translate into excessive........

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