Post-flood blues: Swat tourism industry struggles to regain solid footing

Over 300 hotels facing losses; hotel owners claim government ignoring their issues.

SWAT: The Kalam Valley in upper Swat was once a busy tourist resort, visited by people from all over the country due to its breathtaking scenery. It earned itself the title of being a paradise on earth.

However, the valley, known for its snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, lush green vales, springs and lakes, has been waiting for tourists for several years now. There are more than 300 hotels in Kalam giving a deserted picture.

Yar Muhammad, a tourist from Mardan walking along a deserted road, said, “I can’t believe that such a beautiful place has no tourists. The whole place gives the vibe of an area which has been left deserted after a prolonged war.”

The roads leading to the valley were completely washed away by the floods last year, which ravaged a large portion of Swat, cutting off Kalam from the rest of the country.

However, with the financial assistance of the provincial government, the army has restored the road network. “We had no trouble reaching here. The road was comfortable and the security forces were also nice to us,” said Muhammad.

Despite the restoration of the roads, however, the number of tourists visiting the valley remains small.

Abdul Sattar, the owner of Marco Polo Hotel in Kalam and a member of Kalam Hotel Association, said they used to have a tourists’ season every year, where people from all over the world would come. “Ever since the insurgents entered the valley, everything took a sharp u-turn. The tourism industry came to a standstill and we had to bear heavy losses.”

He added, “Once peace was restored, we had a good season again. However, soon after that, the floods devastated the entire valley, leaving us at the mercy of God.”

He also claimed that the government had not given any support to the hotel association, adding that the only support they received was through United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Afareen Khan, the manager of Holiday Hotel in Kalam, said, “The USAID has helped us with cash and donated carpets and furniture to each and every hotel.”

Khan is hopeful that people will return after the restoration of roads. “We can only hope that things would improve and the flood-stricken people would be able to take a sigh of relief, as tourism and agriculture is the only source of living for the inhabitants of Swat.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th,  2011.