ISLAMABAD: With the onset of the snowy season, a large number of tourists from across Pakistan and abroad have started visiting the mountainous areas of the country to enjoy the attractive beauty of nature during the winter snowfall.
Despite the biting cold, a great rush of tourists was witnessed at popular tourism destinations, including Murree, Malamjaba, Kalam, Naran, Kaghan, Swat, Hunza, Ziarat, Chitral, and Kashmir, like every year.
Many families have planned to visit these areas with their families to enjoy the picturesque beauty of the hilly regions and enjoy snowfall, taking advantage of winter vacations announced by the authorities till January 8.
Chief executive Karakoram explorers Mubarak Hussain told APP that the number of local and international tourists is witnessing a significant increase after the first snowfall of the season.
He said that at some destinations, visitors face issues related to lodging and increased rates, as the number of hotels and other businesses had already been closed before the start of the current snowfall spell in November.
Pakistan’s tourist sites
He said that taking advantage of the winter vacations, many families visit tourist destinations, but they should ensure safety before travel.
He said that Naran-Kaghan road had been closed since November 2022, and the only available route to these destinations is the Karakoram highway.
He advised the visitors to check the weather advisory, road situations, and routes before leaving for these destinations.
Salma Kanwal, a mother, said that snowfall is the favorite time of our children, and they were much excited about playing in the snow, making a snowman, and taking selfies to share with their friends.
She said that Pakistan is a wonderful country with diverse weather and locations to explore, which is a great attraction not only for local visitors but we also have seen many international tourists who are visiting these places and enjoying the weather.
Ali Raza, a student visiting northern areas to enjoy snowfall, said that there is a massive rush of visitors in Swat due to winter vacations and snowfall.
“Many hotels are already booked, and we can only get one room for seven people at the double the price.
He urged the authorities to take serious action against the profiteers who are taking advantage of the situation and taking multiplying the prices of rooms, food, and other facilities.
Keeping in view the weather conditions and increased visitors towards tourist destinations, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has issued an advisory and directed the visitors to adopt preventive measures to avoid inconvenience and save lives.
According to PTDC, tourists are advised to wear extra warm clothes, keep the window of their cars open for fresh air, and continually clean snow from the exhaust pipe of vehicles.
The tourists are also asked to switch off the engine while standing still and not use heaters for more than ten minutes in an hour. – APP
