KP authorities have launched Police Tourism squad, established Camping Pods and installed chairlifts to attracts tourists
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has great potential for adventure tourism as God has blessed the region with world’s highest mountains, beautiful valleys and glistening lakes. The region has unfortunately been affected due to immense terrorism activities in past few years.
This year was different and proved to be a big boost for KPK Tourism as more than 2.5 million tourists, locals and foreigners, visited the northern areas during the Eid ul Fitr, according to Tourism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sources.
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has taken new ainitiatives such as establishing cCamping pods, installing chairlifts and many other uplift projects in order to deliver the public and to bring some change in the province.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, The PTI-led coalition government has opened the government guest houses for the public.
Tourism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has published advertisements in leading newspapers of Pakistan. With the tagline, “Public Money For Public Services”, the Tourism Department of the province has announce to give government owned guests houses on rent to the general public.
Moreover, the KP government has reserved Rs.3.1 billion rupees for tourism in the annual budget 2017-18, which shows the importance given by the provincial government.
KP government also launched Pakistan’s first Police Tourism squad to guide and protect the visitors at Galiyat and Swat. The most encouraging element is Mansehra Police set up free of cost tent village for tourists came to the region.
That’s why thousands of tourists have thronged tourist places like Galiyat, Kaghan, Kumrat, Malam Jabba and Naran Kaghan during the Eid holidays. The Naran Valley is very pleasant and peaceful, which attracts a large number of tourists every year.
However, the situation in Galyat was much better from traffic point of view as the bypass from Makool to Havelian was opened and enough boards were displayed showing distances, traffic diversions, etc which reduced the burden on Abbottabad-Nathiagali road.
Hotel occupancy remained 100 per cent in Galyat, Ayubia, Donga Gali, Changla Gali and other hilly areas where rents were increased by more than five times.
However, due to mismanagement, the roads have been blocked and tourists are faced many difficulties. But still, most of the tourists had to spend nights and used to stay there even after Eid vacations has been spent.