Objectives

Community Identification and Interaction

Mosafir Social aims to build community linkages among specified communities at various tourist destinations in Pakistan. Mosafir Social will engage these host communities in various developmental initiatives such as capacity building sessions, tourism problems identification and working on short term to long term sustainable solutions.

Problems and Needs assessments

Tourism is on the rise in Pakistan. Better accessibility to destinations with improved security situation has resulted in unprecedented influx of tourists from southern and mid Pakistan towards northern areas every year. Pakistan has also been declared as one of the best adventure tourism destinations by international tourists recently.

Stakeholders

Mosafir Social believes in strong coordination with its primary and secondary stakeholders and is planning to reach out and partner them for the betterment of tourism industry. Some of the notable stakeholders Mosafir Social is planning to engage immediately are Government, tourism organizations, NGOs and communities. Mosafir Social is already in touch with a good number of tourists through its app and other services.

Awareness raising

Mosafir Social is planning to implement a comprehensive awareness raising campaign among its subscribers, app users and community. This campaign includes messages based upon environmental friendly tourism practices, promotion of eco-tourism, ensuring inclusive practices during travel and at destination, ethical approaches towards local culture and traditions etc. Mosafir Social is expecting to reach some 1.3 million subscribers and users of Mosafir app in the year 2022 – 23 through SMS, VMS, Web and Mosafir app.

Partnerships

Mosafir Social plans to develop partnerships with international donor agencies and NGOs to implement projects that are going to bring positive change to host community’s knowledge, attitude and practices, their livelihoods, destination’s ecology and environment, tourism practices, and promotion of good practices. Mosafir Social will partner with local NGOs working on tourism in order to learn from their experiences. In this manner Mosafir Social intends to secure developmental grants too.

Interventions

Mosafir Social’s developmental work with host community will include;

Field Research & Assessments

• Publication of travel guides & maps: one of the aims of Mosafir Social is to make travel and tourism inclusive for all. To achieve this maps and other assistance material is being published in different languages so that language barrier is eliminated during the use of maps and guides.
• Risk assessments: Communities are engaged is identification of hazards and vulnerabilities in order to complete risk assessments of their respective areas. This information is then compiled in the form of risk assessment reports. These reports inform users about possible natural threats that might result in disruption of normal life and therefore can harm tourism and tourists. On the basis of risk assessments host communities keep tourists informed and it also helps in land use planning which in itself is a mean for sustainable tourism.
• Integration of tourism information websites Communities are engaged is identification of hazards and vulnerabilities in order to complete risk assessments of their respective areas. This information is then compiled in the form of risk assessment reports. These reports inform users about possible natural threats that might result in disruption of normal life and therefore can harm tourism and tourists. On the basis of risk assessments host communities keep tourists informed and it also helps in land use planning which in itself is a mean for sustainable tourism.
• Need / Damages assessments: Community is trained to conduct damages and needs assessments in times of disasters. This is to immediately plan and cater for the needs of trapped tourists with dignity and honor.

Capacity Building

• Awareness Raising Campaigns: One of the most important donor funded activities by Mosafir Social is capacity building of its stakeholders especially host communities and subscribers of the app. World’s renowned organizations working on environment and tourism have been taken on board as partners to design smart messages that are easily understandable and equally effective. These messages cover various facets of tourism such as tourism effects on environment and ecology, importance of eco-tourism, pollution and its negative impact on tourism etc.
• Skills Development Mosafir Social emphasizes on livelihood diversification among vulnerable members of host community. For this skills development and diversification, programs are being designed. This will also contribute to Mosafir Social climate adaptation strategy.
• Tour Guide Trainings Mosafir Social has in its short-termobjectives’ implementation of basic tour guides training programs at different target areas. These training programs are going to be completed with both men and women as its essential participants. These trainings will cover topics such as, introducing eco-tourism, risks to tourists, team building and leadership skills, communications and languages, logistics, emergency management and first aid.
• Promotions of Eco & Sustainable Tourism primary stakeholders such as host community members, tour guides and those involved in day-to-day businesses at destinations will receive capacity building sessions in topics such as sustainable tourism measures, going green, reduction of carbon footprint, community-based initiatives for tourism, taking care of local norm, traditions and heritage, use of reusable bags etc.

Community Based Disaster Risk Management

• Community based emergency management planning: Emergency management practices and planning have always remained a weak link in Pakistan’s development process and policies. Similarly, the tourism sector also lacks incorporation of emergency management practices both at authorities and tourist level. Therefore, loss of life and assets as a result of emergency situations is quite often. To tackle the issue, Mosafir Social is initiating community-based emergency management planning with its Mosafir Social committees. Committees are also going to be equipped with necessary tools, equipment and outfits to perform optimally.
• Community based early warning system: Mosafir Social committees are going to be linked with Mosafir app in order to keep users/tourists updated of latest developments in relation with the weather and other events especially during rainy and snowy season, so that the users amend and update their plans accordingly and avoid trouble.
• Emergency response: Mosafir Social will keep its Mosafir Committees active to respond to any emergency in tourism sector in timely and professional manner. Committees are going to receive emergency response trainings and equipment with assistance from national and international donors. These trainings will include sessions on search, rescue, firefighting, evacuation, coordination and emergency communication.
• Basic Life support skills: Mosafir Committees are regularly trained in basic life support skills such as casualty handling, CPR, bandages and trauma management.

Structural Measures

• Plantations / Forestation: Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing. Tourist destinations of Pakistan especially northern areas, Hazara region and newly merged districts in KP are all facing increased deforestation due to lack of knowledge and awareness. To tackle the problem, Mosafir Social is partnering with relevant agencies including forest and environmental departments. The aim is to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on forests by mobilizing both the host communities and tourists to participate in forestation campaigns. Currently Mosafir Social is in design phase of pilot project.
• Sign Boards installation: As part of its efforts to make travel and tourism inclusive, Mosafir Social is planning to install sign boards at tourist destinations hotspots. These signboards will assist tourists in two ways i.e., 1. Identification of inclusive facilities and 2. Spread of information in other languages (English, Urdu etc.). This will help local tourism structure in reducing social barriers.
• Accessible restrooms: Mosafir Social is planning to construct at least two (2) accessible restrooms per tourist destination. Designs for these restrooms will be finalized with assistance of expert organizations in the field. These restrooms will better accommodate people with physical disabilities, persons with reduced mobility and persons with other weaknesses.

Tourism and SDGs

As one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world, tourism is increasingly recognized as a vital contributor to job and wealth creation, economic growth, environmental protection and poverty alleviation.

Sustainable Tourism Principles

Principles of Sustainable Tourism

Tourism Concern, 1991 in association with the Worldwide Fund for Nature(WWF) gives 10 principles for sustainable tourism. These are following as:

• Using resources sustainably: The conservation and sustainable use of resources- natural, social and cultural – is crucial and makes long-term business sense.
• Reducing over-consumption and waste: Reduction of over-consumption and waste avoids the costs of restoring long-term environmental damage and contributes to the quality of tourism.
• Maintaining biodiversity: Maintaining and promoting natural, social and cultural diversity is essential for long-term sustainable tourism and creates a resilient base for the industry.
• Integrating tourism into planning: Tourism development which is integrated into a national and local strategic planning framework and which undertake environmental impact assessments increases the long-term viability of tourism.
• Supporting local economies. Tourism that supports a wide range of local economic activities and which takes environmental costs and values into account, both protects these economies and avoids environmental damage.
• Involving local communities: The full involvement of local communities in the tourism sector not only benefits them and the environment in general but also improves the quality of the tourism experience.
• Consulting stakeholders and the public: Consulting between the tourism industry and local communities, organizations and institutions are essential if they are to work alongside each other and resolve potential conflicts of interest.
• Training staff: Staff training which integrates sustainable tourism into work practices, along with recruitment of personnel at all levels, improves the quality of the tourism product.
• Marketing tourism responsibly: Marketing that provides tourists with the full and responsible information increases respect for the natural, social and cultural environments of destination areas and enhances customer satisfaction.
• Undertaking research: Ongoing research and monitoring by the industry using effective data collection and analysis are essential to help solve problems and to bring benefits to destinations, the industry, and consumers.