SWAT: The local hoteliers have shown concerns over the government’s decision to stop tourists from visiting Swat during the complete lockdown to be imposed from May 8 to May 16.

They said that more than 30,000 families would suffer owing to the ban. They said that it was the second year that government imposed ban on tourists during Eidul Fitr holidays due to which they suffered financially.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to impose a ban on all kinds of tourism activities from May 8 to May 16 and nobody will be allowed to visit tourist spots in any part of the country as tourist resorts, hotels and public parks will be closed.

Abdul Wadood, president of Kalam Hotels Association, told this scribe that it was the second year that their hotels were closed by the government which would inflict heavy financial losses on them.

He said that they got hotels by paying annual rent to the owners of the buildings. He said that they waited for Eid holidays as it was their business season. “Once again we will suffer huge losses due to the closure of hotels. We wonder that all the big cities and markets remain overcrowded where people do not follow SOPs but government only closes touristic spots and hotels,” he said.

Mr Wadood said that over 30,000 people worked in about 300 hotels in Kalam whose livelihood was dependent upon tourism.

However, some of the tourist operators appreciated the move and said that the lockdown was good to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “I know that many people will suffer financially due to the lockdown in tourist areas but health is first and we all have to take care of our health and play our role to stop the spread of coronavirus,” said Azharuddin, a tracking and tour operator in Swat.

He appealed to the government to help the hoteliers and other people connected with tourism.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2021