It is well said that we must go beyond seeing tourism as a luxury to be consumed and begin to understand it as a tool for development and environmental protection. The boom in the tourism sector has been breaking records with every passing year enhancing people-to-people interactions, rapid capital flow in the market, and venues for recreation, explorations, adventure, cultural exchange, and exhibitions. In 2023, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed 9.1% to the global GDP; an increase of 23.2% from 2022 and only 4.1% below the 2019 level. Representing 9.1% of global GDP at just over $9.9  TN in 2023 according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WT&T).

Furthermore, tourism is crucial in generating jobs and opportunities for people with a booming employment rate as it employs about 10.6% worldwide according to WT&T. As per the World Travel & Tourism Council Report 2021, travel and tourism contributed $8.8 billion, approximately 2.9% of the total GDP of Pakistan, Pakistan has witnessed a rapid surge in its tourism sector following unprecedented numbers of foreigners visiting Pakistan, especially for adventure tourism in the north of Pakistan, Only in 2023, more than 2 billion tourists visited Gilgit-Baltistan according to GB Government.

Unprecedented Tourism Boom in Gilgit-Baltistan Challenges Local Infrastructure.

Pakistan’s northern area nestles natural wonders and the cultural diversities in the north of Pakistan are rich and old. Gilgit-Baltistan is home to the World’s 2^nd highest Peak i.e. K-2 and the World’s three mightiest mountain ranges (Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindukush) are spanned over Gilgit–Baltistan. This year the extreme heat waves in plain areas of Pakistan caused a surge in tourism activities led to the unprecedented inflow of tourists into GB. Millions of national and foreign tourists have visited GB to date this year and many more are coming in big numbers.

The commencement of multiple national flight operations between Skardu and Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, and then recently direct International flights from Dubai to Skardu has boosted tourism and tourist inflow. However, these historic tourists’ inflow into GB paralyzes traffic flow in major cities of GB and tourist spots where narrow or jagged roads and outdated traffic plans test the patience of tourists and demonstrate that GB is still unprepared to accommodate new vehicles and tourist inflow.

Sustainable Urban Planning Essential to Preserve Gilgit-Baltistan’s Natural Beauty.

The surge in tourism has been welcoming and appealing among locals of Gilgit-Baltistan, however, the lack of sustainable urban planning which includes strategic thinking, inclusive decision-making, planned population growth and settlements, and irresponsible tourism practices have been costing high for GB’s ecosystem and people in the long run. The irregular and unplanned guest houses and hotel constructions are the main concerns attributed to irresponsible infrastructure models.

The mounting graphs of constructions of guest houses or hotels inside local community residential areas or constructions at high pastures and nearby lakes, dams,  deserts, plains, or natural landscapes for which GB is known, have been undermining GB’s real tourism potential and threats to the sustainable tourism and old, rich and diverse culture of mountain communities in the longer run. One example in this regard is the Sarfaranga cold desert, Skardu, where locals over land disputes have constructed boundary walls while allocating land sparks controversies, such practices are unwelcoming and ruin the natural beauty of the landscape.

Tourism Surge in GB Strains Traffic and Highlights Infrastructure Deficits.

The event subsequently led the government to interfere and hence the land dispute case is now in court which suspends all tourists activities and market at Sarfaranga cold desert, Skardu, another example of unplanned tourism practices is seen at Katpana cold desert, Skardu, where local people have again constructed boundary and installed fences undermining natural beauty and scenic views. The construction of hotels and guest houses in the Kaptpana desert is again a huge concern which erodes natural beauty and hence threatens the tourism sector of GB. A large number of such examples could be stated from the GB tourism sector which triggers threats to tourism and the ecology of GB.

The glacier research and knowledge gap in GB is yet another major concern, despite the region hosting more than 7000 glaciers and mighty snow-capped mountains, the research deficit and knowledge gap in such a pivotal area set an alarming ring to think tanks and policymakers that how GB is being made volatile and disaster-prone while no efforts or planning is being made and executed on the ground. The latest glacier preservation and technology to combat glaciers like geotextiles could be used to protect glaciers from melting during summer, another strategy is ice stupa, the idea propagated by Sonum Wangchuk, The program to create horizontal artificial glaciers in Ladakh, Indian-held Kashmir.

Lack of Strategic Planning Threatens Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ecosystem Amid Tourism Growth.

They were required to be built at extremely high altitudes of above 4,000 m with a north-facing valley and also needed intensive maintenance to protect the ice from spring and summer sun. Such conditions constrained the creation of long-lasting and easily replicable artificial glaciers. Currently, the Ice Stupa program has scaled to 52 functioning artificial glaciers in Ladakh and 14 more across the world. As long as these glaciers are preserved they can sustain their lives and livelihood, once these glaciers will disappear due to melting at an unprecedented rate, the reverse option will be no more to preserve glaciers.

GB’s other serious challenge to tourism is its disaster-prone and dangerous roads that prove death well for the lives of many locals and outsiders. Juglot-Skardu Road and Karakoram Highway are the two connectivity veins for all the people travelling across Gilgit-Baltistan. These two roads are frequently blocked following flash floods and land sliding. Frequently reports of accidents and disasters on such roads have created fear and risk among travellers. The locals on many occasions have highlighted and addressed the main concerns before respective authorities but no action has been seen while the risk factor to travel on these roads has been soaring.

International Flights Boost GB Tourism, But Infrastructure Lags Behind.

In response to these challenges, the hourly need is to preserve nature and biodiversity in GB through sustainable development and eco-friendly practices. The forest land in GB constitutes only 4% of total land, the hourly need is afforestation and reforestation in GB through using GIS (Geographical Information System), and satellite imagery to explore potential forest areas in GB. A practical roadmap like the Ten Billion Tree tsunami in KPK has increased the forest land by 6% through community engagement in plantations, such practices and projects must be extended to the length and breadth of GB.

Before we reach the point of no return, my recommendations are ecotourism development, managing over-tourism, promoting cultural tourism, and preservation of adventure tourism with conservation efforts. It is the sole responsibility of the government and local communities to collaborate on these challenging matters and as soon as possible develop an inclusive development mechanism to protect GB’s ecology and community from all the challenges that are thwarting GB’s road to a resilient future and community.