More than 4.3 million foreign tourists visited Pakistan in 2024 and 2025, according to figures the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination presented in the National Assembly on October 16, 2026, with foreign tourists Pakistan 2025 reaching about 2.29 million arrivals, nearly 5 percent more than the year before.
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The ministry’s written reply put total arrivals at 2,182,905 in 2024 and 2,290,856 in 2025, an increase of roughly 4.9 percent year on year. The numbers were shared during the National Assembly’s question hour, where lawmakers discussed both the growth in arrivals and the government’s efforts to promote the country’s historical and cultural attractions to international visitors.
Foreign tourists Pakistan 2025: arrivals by country
Afghanistan remained the largest single source of arrivals in both years, with 641,199 visitors in 2024 and 575,674 in 2025, a decline of about 10.2 percent. The United Kingdom came second, sending 503,409 visitors in 2024 and 514,412 in 2025, taking its two-year total past one million. The United States followed with 261,282 arrivals in 2024 and 248,665 in 2025, a two-year total of just over half a million.
Among foreign tourists Pakistan 2025, Iran posted the fastest growth of any leading market: arrivals jumped from 106,835 in 2024 to 152,885 in 2025, an increase of about 43.1 percent. Canada recorded 117,600 arrivals in 2025 against 116,529 the year before, a modest rise of 0.9 percent that kept it among Pakistan’s most significant overseas source markets. China grew from 74,093 to 85,575 arrivals, up 15.5 percent, and was singled out in the session as one of the markets targeted through tourism promotion and digital marketing.
Australia held broadly steady at 58,578 arrivals in 2025 compared with 59,154 in 2024, while Germany rose 4.1 percent to 43,097. Malaysia declined about 18 percent to 11,626 arrivals and Thailand fell roughly 15.8 percent to 5,694, making them the two Asian markets in the data set to post notable reductions.
What the arrival figures do not show
The ministry’s figures count all visitor arrivals rather than confirmed leisure tourists, a distinction raised in the chamber itself. During the session, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah questioned the classification of Afghan nationals as tourists, observing that not everyone entering Pakistan from Afghanistan could be considered a tourist, and expressed dissatisfaction with the reply.
Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Dr Nafisa Shah, who had asked the ministry about tourist numbers, foreign exchange earnings and promotion steps, noted that Afghanistan topped the list followed by the United Kingdom. She questioned why Pakistan was not making better use of its historical heritage, particularly Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, to attract international visitors and earn much-needed foreign exchange.
The parliamentary secretary for tourism, who read out the ministry’s written reply, referred to digital marketing initiatives, invitations to international content creators to experience Pakistan, and cooperation with overseas embassies. The discussion also touched on heritage destinations such as Mohenjo-daro and Gandhara, though the figures presented did not quantify tourism revenue or the impact of the promotional activities.
Tourism’s economic footprint
The year-end total for foreign tourists Pakistan 2025 was independently echoed in a June 2026 study by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which put inbound tourists at 2.3 million for the year and reported that Pakistan earned USD 1.15 billion from foreign tourists in 2024. The same study noted that Pakistani outbound tourists spent about USD 2.4 billion in 2024, and that the travel and tourism sector contributes nearly 6 percent of GDP while supporting around 4.7 million jobs.
The strong showing for foreign tourists Pakistan 2025 comes as Pakistan expands both air links and visitor attractions. Direct flights from the UAE to Skardu are set to begin, Jhang recently hosted its first-ever desert rally and three-day cultural festival, and work has started on a 350-acre wildlife project at Islamabad Safari Park, all signs of a tourism sector adding new gateways and experiences for visitors from abroad.
Sources
- Shafaqna Pakistan: Pakistan Attracts 4.3 Million Tourists Over the Past Two Years (via Express Tribune)
- TravelsDubai: Pakistan tourism, where are most overseas visitors coming from
- The News: National Assembly proceedings on tourism figures
- Daily Times: From the Press Gallery, A Question of Who Qualifies as a Tourist
- FPCCI: Mapping Pakistan’s Tourism Potential, A Comprehensive Export Analysis (PDF)
Umar is an engineer by profession and a passionate writer by passion. He has a deep interest in sharing good news related to Pakistan and has been working hard to promote the positive image of his homeland. Umar has written numerous articles on various topics related to Pakistan, such as technology, sports, culture, and economy.