Tourist arrivals in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have suffered a steep decline this year, with both foreign and domestic arrivals falling sharply due to climate disasters, international tensions, and other challenges, according to a news report.
Officials report that the region has seen an overall 90% drop in tourism, severely impacting businesses dependent on the sector.
Sajid Hussain, assistant director at the GB Tourism Department, said only 270 international climbers attempted peaks such as K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum-I, Gasherbrum-II, and Nanga Parbat this year, compared with over 2,000 foreign climbers last year. Extreme weather, including avalanches, rockfalls, and high winds, forced many climbers to return without summiting.
Department data shows that only 40 climbers reached the summit of K2, 25 of Nanga Parbat, and around a dozen of Gasherbrum-I during the season.
Iqbal Hussain, director of the GB Tourism Department, noted that last year the region received 24,000 foreign tourists without permits, alongside one million domestic visitors. This year, arrivals for both groups have fallen drastically, prompting alarm among local authorities.
Tour operators highlighted several reasons behind the drop in arrivals. “Legal disputes over permit fee hikes, geopolitical tensions including the Iran-Israel conflict and Pakistan-India tensions, along with unpredictable peak weather, caused many foreign adventurers to cancel plans,” they said.
Local businesses are bearing the brunt. A tea stall owner on the Karakoram Highway reported going entire days without customers. Hotel operators, transport providers, porters, and shopkeepers are experiencing financial strain.
