Pakistan, with the world’s oldest civilization, exotic mountain beauty and splendid seasonal variety, has immense tourist potential. The sacred religious places, which spread throughout the country, make Pakistan an attractive place for a variety of people and religions. The tourism assets of Pakistan include a coastal zone spreading over one thousand kilometers along the Arabian Sea offering long term development potential for beach resorts, diversified natural deserts in the south and beautiful hill stations and valleys in the north. It has also great potential for tourism sports like mountaineering and trekking. The relics of the Indus Civilization in the south, Gandhara Civilization in the north and the great heritage of Mughals in Punjab are exceptional cultural assets of Pakistan.
In 2018, the British Backpacker Society ranked Pakistan the world's top adventure travel destination, describing the country as "one of the friendliest countries on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination". Forbes ranked Pakistan as one of the ‘coolest places’ to visit in 2019. The World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report placed Pakistan in the top 25 per cent of global destinations for its World Heritage sites, which range from the mangroves in the Indus Delta to the Indus Valley Civilization sites including Mohenjo-daro and Harappa
In 2013, 565,212 tourists visited Pakistan, contributing $298 million; these figures have since risen to over 6.6 million tourists in 2018. By comparison, Pakistan's domestic tourism industry is estimated at 50 million tourists who travel in the country on short trips usually between May to August. The largest inflow of tourists is from the United Kingdom, followed by United States, India and China.
Situated on the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia, Pakistan is a beautiful country with a unique history and cultural heritage. Pakistan was the site for one of the world's earliest human settlements: the great prehistoric Indus Valley Civilization, the crucible of ancient empires, religions and cultures. The land of Pakistan ranges from lofty mountains in the north, the Karakorum and the Himalayas, through dissected plateaus to the rich alluvial plains of the Punjab. Then follows the desolate barrenness of Baluchistan and the hot, dry deserts of Sindh blending into miles and miles of golden beaches of Makran coast.
Pakistan’s main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, cultural and archaeological tourism as found in Taxila, Moenjodaro, Harrappa, and early Muslim and Mughal heritage at Multan, Lahore, Thatta, Peshawar and Swat