This hot summer has people moving to northern Khybre Pakhtunkhwa to feel a cool breeze of relaxation amidst electricity shortages and high tempratures in lower districts of the province.
As the Coronavirus lockdown is eased, a large number of tourists from different parts of the country throng Kalam, Swat and adjacent areas of tourist attractions to enjoy the cold breeze, blue water springs, green meadows and other amusing scenery.
Despite new reports of Coronavirus cases coming up in the province, a whooping number of 627,995 tourists head towards Mahodand Lake, Ushu, Glaciers, Waterfalls and other tourist spots of Kalam.
According to a report released by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Tourism Department, around 627,995 tourists visited various picnic spots in the upper districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) between August 13 and August 21.
The report further enlists that out of the number of 627,995 tourists, around 356,400 visitors reached Swat, 65,350 visited Mansehra, 9,800 tourists reached Lower Chitral and 3,460 visited picnic points in Lower Dir to refresh themselves.
The government allowed all major tourist spots to open after easing restrictions imposed due to coronavirus disease pandemic.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is taking serious measures for the revival of the tourism industry. In this regard, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department recently decided to transform five small dams in the province into picnic points.
According to media reports, the KP government plans to convert five small dams into tourist attractions to promote tourism in the province. This includes the Kundar Dam in Swabi, Jalozai Dam in Nowshera, Thand Dam in Kohat, Chattri Dam in Haripur, and Jhangra Dam in Abbottabad. The dams will be upgraded to include parking spaces, restaurants, open cooking facilities, solar system, spot fishing, and others services.
This decision is a part of an initiative by Prime Minister Imran Khan to revive the tourism sector in the country. “We have to improve the situation at tourist spots across the country,” he said in a meeting earlier this week, adding that these places would promote the culture and traditions of the country locally and internationally.
“We will be providing improved facilities to tourists at these spots,” the Prime Minister said in a meeting on August 19, where it was decided to form a coordination committee and remove all encroachments from tourist spots.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also directed the concerned authorities to properly utilize government infrastructure for the revival of the tourism industry and stressed upon the need to effectively utilize historical places, governor houses, and guesthouses for tourism purposes.
Following the tourism promotion initiative, the KP government also has plans to introduce the longest and highest cable car project in the Kumrat Valley of Pakistan. Such initiatives would improve economic activity and generate employment opportunities for locals.
