VISIBLE UNCERTAINTY (HOSPITALITY CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM)

Abstract

Tourism is a key source of employment and income today, and different parts of the world are heavily dependent on it as travel and tourism’s contribution to GDP was approximately US$ 2.9 trillion in 2019 worldwide. World Tourism and Travel Council predicts that Pakistan’s tourism industry has the potential to grow to around US$ 42.8 billion within a decade. It is also predicted that Pakistan tourism has the potential to increase by 5.6% in 2027 (WTTC 2017). When the world endures huge changes, be that cultural, social, technological and political, the role of architecture is to adapt accordingly. Tourism in Pakistan is also beneficial to eradicate poverty from these rural areas, provide locals with a platform to get exposure, valuing their culture and raise their standard of living but on the other hand most tourism in that specific area is a failure when it fails to provide a space that caters to the requirements of sustainable tourism. Moreover, local and foreign alike at times do not blend in with the local culture, without knowing or understanding the sentiments of the local community, sometimes they are able to cross that line willingly or unwillingly, which the local community consider as disrespect to their dignity, values and beliefs. This is mainly caused due to gap in communication and perceptions that the local community and tourists have developed regarding one another over a period of time. There are too many insecurities and recent events have made it happen for them to avoid communication with each other for their own good due to over tourism in recent years in different parts of the country.VISIBLE UNCERTAINTY: HOSPITALITY CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM 4 Urban social segregation is created in these areas that results in lack of collective engagement. This paper further delves into the role of architecture and architects to make determined efforts to deal with the rising stimulation of social tensions in these areas and study how architecture can deal with social divisions and provide integration between diverse communities, empower the local community and likewise provide a platform to sustain tourism in the area.