GILGIT: Tour operators have expressed concerns over the steep hike in royalty and mountaineering fees, alleging that the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s decision is detrimental to the region’s growing adventure tourism sector.
They claimed that the move has already rendered many people jobless due to a significant drop in tourist footfall.
Expressing serious concerns over the move, representatives from Pakistan Association of Tour Operators (Pato), Gilgit-Baltistan Tour Operators Association (GBATO) and other tour operating associations have written to GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, federal government officials and other stakeholders, urging them to withdraw the decision.
They were of the opinion that the mountainous region was home to the world’s highest peaks including five eight-thousanders and over 100 seven-thousanders. Foreign and national adventure-seekers, including climbers and trekkers, visit Gilgit-Baltistan in large numbers every year.
However, they said the Gilgit-Baltistan government significantly jacked up the royalty and mountaineering fees, including trekking permits fee, making them the “most expensive” in the region. They explained that one foreign expedition on K-2 fetched about $60,000 to GB, benefiting the government, tour operators, the hospitality sector, transporters, the aviation sector, high-altitude porters and rescue service providers.
“However, the recent increase in the royalty and permit fees has made it hard for the tour operators to sell mountain expeditions and treks to foreign and domestic clients,” they pointed out.
Stakeholders
Tour operators expressed reservations that they were not considered a stakeholder while formulating the policy.
Speaking to Dawn, Naiknaam Karim, former general secretary of Pato, said the Pakistan destination image was weak yet with joint efforts it was improved in recent years. Subsequently, a large number of international tourists had started coming to Pakistan for trekking and tourism. He said a large number of locals depend on tourism for their livelihoods.
Mr Karim made it clear that the economic benefits from foreign tourism didn’t come from government fees, but rather from the money spent on adventure activities. “When foreigners come to Pakistan, they bring foreign exchange, which is a great source of earnings for the country,” he said. He cited the example of trekking fees, which foreigners have to pay $500 for in Pakistan, whereas in Nepal, the trekking fee is only $30. The trekking fees in Pakistan varies by location and altitude, with an average fee of $500.
However, according to him, now after the recent hike one foreigner had to pay more than $4,000 royalty fee to climb one of the eight thousanders in GB, while in Nepal royalty fee for climbing eight thousanders was $1,800 per client.
He said the local tour operators were finding it hard to attract foreign clients. They were worried that foreign mountaineers and trekkers would prefer Nepal and other countries that charge less than what Pakistan is charging for trekking and climbing peaks.
The move had not only affected tourism industry but also impacted the hospitality and transport sectors, while rendering thousands of shopkeepers, porters and other people in Gilgit-Baltistan jobless.
No single expedition
Another tour operator, Asghar Ali Porik, told Dawn that there was no single expedition or trekking group plan to visit Gilgit-Baltistan this winter and the increase in fee was one of the main factors.
He said if the decision not withdrawn, adventure tourism would be badly hit and foreign clients might also cancel their summer plans.
The matter was also discussed at length in a meeting, chaired by the Force Commander of Gilgit-Baltistan Imtiaz Hussain Gillani and attended among others by GB tourism secretary, Pato and GBATO heads.
The Pato chairman presented a briefing on the proposed fee structure, drawing comparisons with Nepal’s mountain royalties. He strongly advocated for reversing the recent fee increase, highlighting its detrimental impact on Pakistan’s adventure tourism sector and the livelihoods of mountain communities that rely on seasonal tourism jobs.
Following extensive discussions, the GB tourism secretary agreed to review the increased fees based on proposals submitted by Pato and GBATO, promising a decision within a week. However, it is yet to be seen if the authorities withdraw the increase in fees to allow the tourism sector to thrive once again.
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