Financial Times Features Pakistan in List of 50 Holiday Places to Visit in 2025 

UK-based publication cites Pakistan’s mountain scenery and improved security as key reasons for its inclusion

Tue Jan 14 2025
icon-facebook icon-twitter icon-whatsapp

Key Points

  • Gilgit-Baltistan prime destination for mountaineers
  • Offers adventure sports activities
  • Hundreds of thousands visit every year

Islamabad: Pakistan’s north, especially Gilgit-Baltistan has earned a spot in the Financial Times’ prestigious list of “50 holidays to take in 2025”.

The UK-based international business publication cited the country’s “dramatic mountain scenery” and improved security as key reasons for its inclusion.

“Northern Pakistan boasts some of the world’s most dramatic mountain scenery, and an improved security situation, easier access and better accommodation options mean that more visitors are discovering it,” the publication said.

Gilgit-Baltistan is a prime destination for mountaineers, trekkers and adventure enthusiasts with tantalising mountain peaks and diverse flora and fauna.

Every year, the region attracts thousands of tourists and climbers.

It offers expeditions, paragliding, and other adventure sports opportunities.

Free online visas

“In August 2024, the country began offering free visas, available online, for citizens of more than 120 nations, while there are growing numbers of flights to Skardu and Gilgit, gateways to the Hunza Valley and Baltistan,” the Financial Times reported.

The visa regime is part of the country’s broader efforts to facilitate foreign tourists and enhance its tourism sector.

Emerging reputation

The recognition follows similar acknowledgements from other international outlets.

In January, US broadcaster CNN included Gilgit-Baltistan in its list of 25 destinations to visit in 2025.

The announcement further solidified the region’s emerging reputation as a must-visit tourist destination.

Radio Pakistan lauded this recognition, calling it a testament to the country’s efforts in promoting its diverse tourism offerings.

The state broadcaster emphasised that with continued infrastructure improvements, Pakistan is poised to become a leading destination for adventure and cultural tourism in the coming years.

icon-facebook icon-twitter icon-whatsapp