Khyber Pakthunkhwa’s northern areas including Nathia Gali have attracted around 37,452 backpackers and adventure sports enthusiasts because of its pleasant weather following scorching heat in other regions of Pakistan.
Famous for fascinating natural beauty, landscapes, and waterfalls, Nathiagali, Khanspur, Ayubia, Harnoi, Bagnotar in Abbottabad, Saiful Malook Lake, Naran, Kaghan, and Babusir top in Manshera, Madyain, Kalam, and Malam Jabba in Swat, Kumrat in Upper Dir and Chitral districts are flooded with vacationers loving the pleasant weather.
“I came from Nowshera district to spend few days in cool weather of my favorite hilly station of Nathiagali where hide and seek between sun and clouds continued amid the start of monsoon season,” stated Qaiser Khan, a citizen of Wapda Town, Nowshera while talking to media men.
“I have visited almost all tourist resorts of Pakistan but the splendid natural beauty of Nathiagali has impressed me a lot,” he said, adding the free ride on the Ayubia chairlift has increased his joy.
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In order to facilitate tourists, the government has taken various pro-tourism measures by developing roads to make available all scenic areas of KP besides decreasing the load on existing hilly stations.
While talking to the media, Muhammad Ali Syed, General Manager, Culture and Tourism Authority said that along with the construction of hotels and new roads in northern areas of KP, the government has made geo-mapping and reporting of all tourists regions and put it on google map.
He added that the government has also prepared mobile applications and apps for online booking in hotels, rest houses, and camping pods.
Moreover, four integrated tourism zones (ITZs) would be established at Thandyani Abbottabad, Mankiyal Swat, Ganol Manshera, and Madaskhast Lower Chitral to enhance sustainable ecotourism and adventure sports.
These ITZs would be built with the financial support of the World Bank of $70 million loan grants and its feasibility studies and master planning in the final stages. The ITZs would be connected with Hazara and Swat Motorways via approach roads.
Muhammad Ali Syed stated that the waterfalls of Sajkot, Noori, Lamchar, Chajjian Haripur, Lanchar Dir, Jarogo Swat, and Umbrella Abbottabad would be developed to boost ecotourism. He remarked that the government has decided to make picnic points at the sites of Kundal dam Swabi, Tanda dam Kohat, Chatri dam Haripur, Jalozai dam Nowshera, and Jhangra dam Haripur.
