Pandemic hits tourism industry hard in Galyat

ABBOTTABAD: The spread of Covid-19 has badly hit the tourism industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Galyat valley in Abbottabad district. Thousands of people have lost jobs and are facing financial hardships due to the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the deadly viral disease.

“More than 175 hotels, restaurants and rest houses have been closed in Galyat since March 18. It has affected hotel industry, small businesses, daily wagers and transporters,” said Director General Galyat Development Authority (GDA) Raza Habib while talking to The News here on Monday.

He said tourists had stopped visiting Galyat, which was totally dependent on tourism, in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak. He said the data of the last three months showed that the average number of tourists visiting Galyat was 120,000-150,000 per month that would increase to 360,000 to 450,000 per month in the summer.

Raza Habib added that the estimated potential revenue loss to the hotels was calculated at Rs14 million so far and it would be three times high if the lockdown was extended to the peak season. He said about 1,000 waiters, who were paid on a daily basis in hotels, lost their jobs due to the lockdown.

He added that about 1000-1500 more people would become unemployed. He said that about 500 people associated with tourism industry, including tourist guides, the ones providing horse-riding services, balloon shooting, coffee machines and others were also affected.

Raza Habib said that more than 100 small shops in Galyat associated with the tourism sector that included grocery shops, souvenir shops, tuck shops and small food huts, cabins and pushcarts were also bearing the brunt of the lockdown.

The official said that the GDA had already submitted its recommendations to provincial Tourism department. Raza Habib said that currently hundreds of jobs were at stake and many small and medium enterprises related to tourism sector were at risk of being closed, therefore, measures should be taken to support the tourism and hospitality sector. He added interest-free loans, tax exemptions and incentives should be given to the hotel and tourism industry-related people. The tourist destinations, rest houses and hotels in Nathiagali, Dungagali, Ayubia and Changlagali are wearing a deserted look due to the coronavirus endemic.

Talking to The News, Saifur Rahman, a resident of Galyat and a hotel owner at Nathiagali, said that tourism served as the main source of livelihood for the local people, but all economic activities had come to a halt because of the deadly virus. He asked the government and the Tourism Ministry to provide relief to the people associated with the industry.