Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has witnessed a significant boost in tourism this year, with a 100 percent increase in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year. This encouraging trend was discussed during a review meeting chaired by Muzamil Aslam, the Advisor to the Chief Minister for Finance.
The meeting, attended by key officials including Advisor for Tourism Zahid Chanzeb, Members of the Provincial Assembly Iftikhar Muhammad Khan Jadoon, Secretary Tourism Muhammad Bakhtiar Khan, and Chief Planning Officer Tourism Syed Zain Ali Shah, highlighted that approximately 9 million tourists visited KP between May 1st and July this year. This figure marks a significant rise from last year’s 4.5 million visitors.
Among these tourists, around 2,500 were international visitors, who flocked to the province’s hill stations to enjoy its cooler climate.
Muzamil Aslam commended the Tourism Department’s efforts, attributing the surge in tourist numbers to improved law and order and enhanced tourism facilities provided by the provincial government. He emphasized the importance of these developments in showcasing KP as a safe and attractive destination for both domestic and international tourists.
Specific regions within KP also saw remarkable tourist influxes: Swat attracted 260,000 visitors, Galiyat welcomed 350,000, and Chitral and Kaghan saw about 250,000 tourists.
Despite the positive trends, Aslam expressed concern over public complaints regarding the National Highway Authority (NHA), which were brought up during the meeting. He assured that these issues would be addressed with NHA officials to ensure better services for tourists.
Looking ahead, Aslam urged for continued efforts to enhance winter tourism, aiming to sustain tourism activities throughout the year. Zahid Chanzeb plans to establish four new tourist zones in Chitral and Mansehra next year. These zones are expected to offer visitors more opportunities to explore new hill stations and scenic spots, further boosting the region’s tourism appeal.
