Adventure tourism needs projection on digital media to attract foreign investment
CHITRAL (APP): The cold breeze with chirping birds coming from the majestic Trich Mir Mountain peak that recently received winter’s first snowfall takes adventure tourists into a lap of serenity.
Amid hide and seek between clouds and sun over Trich Mir, the highest mountain peak of Pakistan outside of the Gilgit Baltistan region carrying 7,708 meters height above sea level and 33rd tallest peak in the world, grabs visitors’ attention soon after entering Chitral city.
“I have visited many countries and mountainous tourist resorts but Trich Mir’s breathtaking beauty was beyond my imagination,” said Abu Zafar, President, Alpine Adventure Sports Club of Pakistan while talking to APP.
Offering great challenges to mountaineers and adventure sports enthusiasts to explore, he said Trich Mir was first ascent on July 21, 1950, by a Norwegian expedition team and depicted in the world documentary film ‘Tirich Mir Til Topps (to the top of Trichmir)’ take tourists into the lap of serenity after entering its base camp amid thick deodar forest and waterfall.
“Trichmir is ideally suited for mountaineering and adventure sports in May-September”, Zafar said, adding Trichmir, Falask Sair (5957 meters height) peak in Swat in Hindkosh range and Malaka Parbath peak( 5290m) in Kaghan Manshera made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s an ideal destination for mountains and adventure sports.
Besides exploring Trich Mir, a tourist could also enjoy the centuries-old Kalash culture that came here in the 18th century when 12 people of Kalasha migrated to Chitral from British India for trade, and business and established their base camps in various places for residence and settled in Chitral.
Kalash culture is a unique identity of Chitral that also attracted UK Prince William and his wife, adding underrated Trich Mir, Falak Sair and Malka Parbath if promoted on digital media with improved road infrastructure could prove the best winter sports destinations.
Muhammad Ali Syed, General Manager, KP Tourism Authority told APP that northern areas of KP, especially Swat and Chitral were going to become the winter tourism capitals of Pakistan due to its seven unique features including river rafting, trout fish, snowfall, paragliding, mountaineering, biking and skiing.
He said Trich Mir, Kalam and Malama Jaba were most suited for skiing due to regular snowfall during winter while Kalam in Swat and Kunhar rivers at Kaghan for river rafting.
Zilakat Malik, former Chairman Economics Department, at the University of Peshawar said that adventure tourism has been overlooked in the past despite its significant potential in Pakistan especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in respect of economy, investment and development.
While citing World Travel & Tourism Council Report 2021, he said the travel and tourism sector had contributed $8.8 billion, approximately 2.9% of the total GDP of Pakistan in 2017. Pakistan’s total GDP contribution of tourism remained $15 billion in 2019 which was 5.7% of the total GDP. However, this growth was slashed to USD 11.6 billion i.e. 25% in 2020 while tourism jobs fell 11.1% from 3.45 million in 2019 and further downed to 3.63 million in 2020 due to COVID-19.
He claimed that China had earned about USD 814.1 billion from the tourism and travel industry in 2022, Malaysia’s 13.13 billion ringgit and Indonesia’s tourism share remained 413.73 trillion rupiah in 2021.
Despite being home to Gandhara and Indus civilizations together with five mountain peaks of over 8,000 meters in height, he said Pakistan was unable to earn much from tourism and there was a need to promote the country’s splendid sites and mountains wealth enriched with enormous beauty by using digital technology.
He said tourism in Pakistan especially in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would flourish after completion of CPEC projects and the time has come to increase linkages between Pakistani and foreign tourist companies.
The KP government has established camping pods at Sharan Saiful Malook lake, Gabeen Jaba Swat, Mahaband Buner-Swabi, Allai Batagram, Bamburait Chitral, Tandyani Abbottabad, Bisigram Swat, Yakhtangi Shangla, Saheed e Sir, Malka Swat and Sheikh Badin DI Khan. Bishigram, Shran, Yakhtangi, Shaheed e Sir and Malk camping pods have already been opened for tourists after completion of renovation works.
Each pod has two to four beds for families, a washroom and a small kitchen, Muhammad Ali Syed said, adding Rs3500 to Rs5000 per day/night stay was being charged against Rs15,000 to Rs 20,000 per room by a private hotel at Khagan, Naran and Galiyat valleys.
He said that 10 more camping pods at Jargo and Sulatanr in Swat, Lashkargha Broghal Valley and Surlaspur Shandor valley Upper Chitral, Kumrat velley in Upper Dir, Laram Top and Shahi Bin Shahi in Lower Dir, Lilowani Alpuri in Shangla Samanah Top in Orakzai/Hangu and Kalam Swat were planned.
He said that a two kilometers long new chairlift was being constructed at Ayubia Nathia Gali to promote adventure sports.
Omair Khattak, General Manager of Investment, KP Tourism Authority said that Chitral would become a hub of adventure sports and tourism after the construction of a cable car between Madaklasht Chitral and Kurmat Dir Upper.
The proposed cable car would be constructed with an estimated cost of USD 200 million with financial assistance from the World Bank, adding the 16 kilometres long cable car would have 5280 meters in height and would pass through different valleys and mountainous ranges with facilities of a base station at Kumrat, stops stations and car parking plazas for 500 to 600 vehicles with security.
The base station would include mosques, restaurants, walking tracks and a final station at Madaklasht. A feasibility study of the mega project has been started and will be completed in eight to 10 years.
The cable car project on completion would attract an estimated 1.2 million tourists and adventure sports lovers per year which would turn the entire Malakand division into a hub of tourism and business at large.
