TOURISM FACILITIES
As more tourists head to Pakistan’s great white north, some have complained about inadequate road infrastructure, lack of public toilets, parking facilities, and information signs, as well as the struggle to find good quality hotel and restaurant services. The visitors have asked authorities to improve food and lodging standards, keep a check on the local hotel industry and ensure sustainable tourism by introducing littering fines and proper waste management and recycling facilities. “Some of these picturesque regions are not as perfect as they look on Instagram. The electricity and gas outages and unavailability is a serious issue,” said Kamran Khan, who is on a trip to Hunza with his colleagues. He added that while the tourists would leave after a brief stay, the cold and snow make living conditions extremely tough for the residents, especially those living in the far-off regions where people are forced to rely on wood stoves for cooking and heating.
The government says it is making gradual investments in facilities and infrastructure to offer better facilities and more attractions for sightseers, skiers, trekkers, and mountaineers. The KP government has planned ecotourism resorts to improve facilities and construct walking tracks, wood boats, huts, parking areas, camping pods, and others facilitation services at Mahudhand lake.
Jeep tracks would be constructed in 16 districts mostly in Malakand and Hazara divisions at a cost of Rs500 million to make lakes accessible for families throughout the year, officials said. Another Rs188 million project approved for Saiful Malook national park would help maintain the park’s cleanliness and set up of offices for wildlife staff there.
The authorities have asked tourists to come fully prepared by storing extra fuel and food, charged batteries, tow and snow chains, and be extra careful while snapping selfies and checking the weather conditions before travelling. Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab ur Rehman Rana said that all concerned departments are vigilant and provide round-the-clock services to the people visiting these areas to make their tours fun and hassle-free.