PESHAWAR: Pashtuns, who are known for going to great lengths to show their hospitality, will soon be able to bring it to another level, as local families are going to receive support in adjusting their homes to receive visitors.
“Tourists will enjoy our culture, hospitality,” said Muhammad Farhan, a college student from the scenic Swat Valley, as he commented on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s new program to offer soft loans and tourism training to communities in the province’s most picturesque regions.
The initiative will serve two purposes at the same time, KP Tourism Department spokesman Nisar Muhammad told Arab News. simultaneously. “Tourists will enjoy the widely known Pashtun hospitality on one hand, while on the other host families will get business opportunities at their doorstep,” he said.
In this undated photo a scenic valley is seen in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Photo courtesy: KP Tourism Department)
According to Muhammad, the provincial government has allocated Rs. 500 million under which one family in three tourists’ hotspots such as Chitral, Swat and Hazara will be eligible to apply for Rs. 0.1 million loans to renovate their houses and make them fit to receive tourists.
Scores of visitors were unable to find space in hotels last summer, while some more remote regions did not even have proper residential facilities, he recalled. This prompted the provincial government to encourage locals to participate more in the tourism sector.
“We have yet to compile data for tourist visits last season, but we have recorded 200,000 visitors in parts of Swat, Kaghan and Naran within just three days after Eid-ul-Fitr in June,” he said.
Talimand Khan, a social activist from the Swat Valley, said the idea was excellent and would multiply business opportunities for local families, while at the same time it would generate revenue for the government.
In this undated photo, a village is seen in the newly merged tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Photo courtesy: KP Tourism Department)
“This initiative is really commendable. It will for sure attract tourists, but the government needs to build infrastructure in scenic (tourism) spots. A number of roads leading to tourist centers in Swat need immediate repair,” he said.
According to a 2018 report by Gallup Pakistan, a research organization affiliated with the Gallup International Association, Pakistan’s tourism is a potential game-changer for the country’s struggling economy.
The sector is thriving. While in 2014, more than 1.6 million tourists visited Pakistan, in 2018 the number increased to 6.6 million.
Well aware of the trend, the KP government has already set aside Rs.9.5 billion to revive tourism and develop infrastructure also in the province’s newly merged tribal areas, which are famous for their “heavenly beauty,” the KP Tourism Department spokesman said.
