Over 1m domestic tourists throng hill stations
Owing to the hot summer months and an extended closure of scenic destinations due to a lockdown, imposed by the government to prevent the novel coronavirus pandemic from spreading, - the hill stations have seen over 1.2 million domestic tourists from across the country fill them in the two-weeks since restrictions were lifted.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) official Mukhtar Ahmed said that Murree and its adjoining scenic hilly areas such as Galiyat - including Ayubia and Nathiagali - and Bhurban have received around 1.2 million visitors soon after the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions were lifted while it is expected that this number will rise further next month with educational institutes not due to open before September 15.
"Murree's economy relies heavily on tourism during the tourist season, which runs from early January to mid-October," he added.
He said that after the government lifted the restrictions across the country, the tourism sector is slowly coming out of the five-month crisis it had faced. He added that reopening of the tourism industry will help compensate businesses for the lost income and will help the country's economy to recover faster.
Currently, Ahmed said, popular destinations such as the Mall Road, Pindi Point, Kashmir Point, Patriata (New Murree), Ayubia and Nathiagali were full of visitors.
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Ahmed said that apart from being a destination in itself, Murree also serves as a transit point for passengers travelling to other scenic spots such as those in Azad Jammu Kashmir or Abbottabad. The PTDC official said that tourists have thronged Pindi Point, Kashmir Point, the Mall and Ayubia, adding that the hill station has attracted a huge crowd islafter the lockdown.
Resort owner Asim Khan said that the hill station did not receive any tourists for five months due to the lockdown. Being closed during peak season had had severe impacts, he said.
"But after the lockdown was lifted, our businesses are flourishing more as thousands of visitors can be seen arriving daily to stay in Murree," the resort owner said.
He added that most visitors were following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the government such as wearing face masks.
"I am very happy [to visit Murree] as we had to wait for five months to come here and witness the breathtaking views and to escape the searing heat," said Wasi Ahmad, a tourist from Rawalpindi. He suggested the government provide basic facilities for tourists from the public sector.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2020.