Murree was once the place to vacation — whether it was Karachiites wanting to experi­ence snowfall or Islamabad locals looking for some respite from the summer heat. Even today, it is a very popular spot, but it has lost its charm. Viewing points have dwindled, the area is heavily crowded and littered, and its once pristine natural beauty has been marred. This change is not surprising. An estimated one million people visit Murree annually and in the summer the number of visitors to the hill resort rises to 10 times more than its capacity.

Murree isn’t the only area to undergo such change. Tourists also negatively affect the habitat and biodiversity in areas such as the Margalla Hills, the Galiat and Kaghan Valley. For instance, most tourists feed the monkeys found on the way, which attract the same monkeys to roadsides causing hindrance.

“Tourists often go to Murree, the Galiat and Kaghan Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but it comes at the cost of environmental pollution — they leave behind a lot of waste,” says Usman Mardanvi, a tour operator associated with the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Neither nature nor locals get a break. These places are not only hot spots in summer due to moderate climate and scenic beauty but also in winter due to snowfall.”

The influx of tourists visiting natural sites in Pakistan leaves the environment susceptible to damage. Can there be a balance between tourism and preserving nature?

While many local governments and residents, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have jumped onto the tourism bandwagon, the case of Murree shows there is a darker side to a thriving tourism industry. The question for most locals and authorities is how to balance the need to preserve nature and the sanity of locals with the much-needed revenue tourism brings in.

Tourism, after all, is a big revenue earner: it accounts for nine percent of the world’s GDP and can contribute to sustainable economic growth, both at the local and national level. One doesn’t have to look far for examples. The tourism industry in Kenya earns a major chunk of its revenue from wildlife safaris, for instance, and millions visit national parks such as the Yellowstone National Park in the United States, the Banff National Park in Canada, the Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Gir Forest National Park in India.

One solution is ecotourism, an approach to tourism where the focus is on preserving nature and educating tourists about it, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is undertaking initiatives in this regard. “The Tourism Area Integrated Development Project has been launched to promote eco-friendly initiatives in the province,” says Tauseef Khalid, project director in Tourism Corporation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Moreover, capacity building programmes are also in the pipeline to ensure less environmental degradation through sensitisation.”

In addition, sustainable management of tourism activities brings livelihood opportunities for marginalised communities in the area. Sajjad Ali, a coordinator for the National Parks Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, points out that the ecotourism project has been designed to ensure that it is beneficial for locals as well. “The ecotourism [programme] will be compatible to the natural environment, while ensuring local communities benefit from the ecotourism-based activities,” he says.

Sustainable management of tourism activities brings livelihood opportunities for marginalised communities in the area. Sajjad Ali, a coordinator for the National Parks Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, points out that the ecotourism project has been designed to ensure that it is beneficial for locals as well.

The potential of ecotourism in Pakistan is immense by virtue of its natural landscape, diverse ecosystems and cultural heritage. Indeed, the country is uniquely positioned: from its famed mountains (K2, Nanga Parbat, Tirich Mir in Chitral) in the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush to majestic lush green valleys in Kashmir and Swat to Astola Island and Ziarat in Balochistan, there is something for everyone. For nature lovers, there is a lot to see and do. Tourists can ski, trek, camp, bike, and paraglide, indulge in their love of nature photography, angling and water sports or take desert safaris.

Pakistan has countless national parks including the Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad; Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, Balochistan; Kirthar National Park, Sindh; Ayubia National Park, Chitral Gol National Park and Saiful Maluk National Park in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Khunjerab National Park and Deosai National Park in Gilgit-Baltistan, Machhiara National Park, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Lal Suhanra National Park, Punjab. The vast Indus plain and the country’s significant wetlands are habitats for considerable mammalian and avian diversity, both endemic and migratory — from the Pygmy shrew to the blue whale, from the golden eagles and vultures to tits and finches ,and from crocodiles to lizards.

While foreign tourism has declined, local tourists are increasing — a sign that Pakistanis are increasingly curious to explore their own country and have the cash to do so. What better way to increase tourism in the country and also increase awareness about preserving nature?

For Abdur Rab, a lecturer in forestry at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Shernigal in the Dir district, however, the need to appreciate nature and be an ethical traveller needs to start much earlier. “Most people who head towards summer resorts of the country are not familiar with environmental ethics,” he points out. “Those who are familiar with the concept of ecotourism and environmental-friendly approaches are few in number and their contribution and carefulness is just like salt in flour. Some sort of code of conduct should be taught at academic level which will help to instill the spirit of ecotourism at the grass-root level.”

Aftab Rana, a tourism development cons­ultant, agrees with Rab. The founding member of Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan says that more programmes such as the National Children Mountain Conservation Meet are needed. “The annual event teaches our youth the value of conserving environmental and ecological resources,” he points out. “Children learn about animals that are on the verge of extinction or are endangered species such as the snow leopards in Khunjerab National Park, Marco Polo sheep in Gilgit-Balistan, markhor in Chitral, blind Indus dolphin in Sukkur, waterfowl in Haleji Lake and so on. Involving the younger generation means they go back home with more awareness and their knowledge can be instrumental in changing the way we view and preserve nature.”

The writer is Deputy Conservator, Wildlife Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Muhammad Niaz [munksll@yahoo.com]

Published in Dawn, EOS, February 18th, 2018