EVERY time I watch a television ad chanting the tagline ‘Malaysia truly Asia’ or ‘Incredible India’, I always think as to why is it that our government does not work on marketing Pakistan as a brand that offers a truly amazing tourist experience!
Luckily the people at the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa have read my thoughts and although they have not gone allout with an extravagant television commercial, they did manage to post an ad online.
I came across an advertisement promoting tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and I immediately thought to myself: “At last, some intelligent bureaucrat has come up with the brilliant idea of developing Pakistan as a reputable brand entity”.
My first reflex was to click on the advertisement, hoping to land myself on a beautifully-designed website, with breathtaking images of valleys, sprinkling streams and snow-capped mountains, and a list of travel agencies and tour guides that could materialise a trip to the hidden heavens of Pakistan.
But to my dismay, my click landed me on a page that read in bold font: “This account has been suspended.”
It saddens me to say this, but only a Pakistani government official with no marketing know-how can pay to advertise a product that is not even ready!