Tourists decry high rates at winter resorts

Hoteliers and restaurants hike boarding, food prices

MURREE:

Taking undue advantage of the rush of tourists during snowfall, the hotel and restaurant owners have increased the rates of room rent and food multi-fold.

There was a huge rush of tourists in Murree and Galyat on weekend, but many of them were found grumbling about low-quality and expensive food.

“The district administration should take notice of the highhandedness of the local people, either we pay excess amount or shiver in cold outside, this is no way to do business,” said a man who was visiting Murree with his family.

Apart from the pain of high rates, the overall mood of the hill station was festive. The roads were lined with vehicles on both sides.

Hotels, rest houses and guest houses are full while black clouds have enveloped the entire valley of Murree and Galyat.

Tourists flocked to the Mall Road in the evening after enjoying entire day at other tourist attractions. They were seen buying trinkets and souvenirs from the gift shops or loitering at kahwa stalls or simply strolling about enjoying the white flakes in the air. People were seen enjoying the weather and beautiful scenery without caring about the cold.

With thousands of cars moving up and down the hilly roads, the Rawalpindi traffic police was in place to mage the flow.

Murree Tehsil Health Inspector Rana Karamat Ali made rounds of the markets and asked the traders to implement SOPs decised for the prevention of the spread of novel coronavirus disease. According to assistant commissioner, SOPs are being implemented at hotels, restaurants and shops. Boards have also been erected at all commercial places with the words "No Mask No Service" written on them, though it is observed that peole don’t follow the guidelines.

According to the local traders, the losses suffered by the local business community during the 2020 summer lockdown have been fully recovered.

Meanwhile, an official of the Galyat Development Authority (GDA) said that the small tourist destination located 8400m above the sea level, has emerged as most popular resort in the country, attracting 90 per cent of local tourists during the winter season.

"The resort has broken all the past records in drawing tourists during winter," GDA Spokesman Ahsan Hameed said. Murree Hills had once remained on top of the travel list of tourists, but now it had started losing its charm among the families due to certain reasons. "Thousands of tourists are entering Galyat every day to witness snow-clad mountains of its various valleys.

Hotels in Galyat are witnessing full booking since start of snowfall in the area," he said while pointing out the popularity of destination which had grown exponentially among the family tourists.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2021.