SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN
By: Rameez Ali Jerov
Gilgit-Baltistan
(GB) is utmost beautiful place where everything we found from Mountains to
deserts, waters to glaciers, barren lands to thick forests, cats to leopards,
bees to eagles and rocks to precious stones that which Nature has perfectly
installed at their certain places. This place attracts people from round the
globe because of its sophisticated charming beauty. On the other hand, people
here are uniquely different because of their rich tradition and culture which
adds the beauty in itself to this place.
GB is an
agrarian based society; their economic dependence is based on selling fruits
and vegetables etc. Geographical setting and beauty modifies the economic
dependency over single option. Tourism has now become new and dominant source
of income at the dawn of globalization which in nowadays considered as a
backbone of economy in GB.
In last
several years the rate of local and foreign tourist has been increasing at
exponential rate and multiples to come in future. Whatever the tourism brings
us the economic prosperity, social changes are much considerable. More
precisely when it comes to impacts of tourism, is utterly dramatic. There must
be some positive changes in terms of tangible like development, infrastructure
and economic prosperity and on the other hand there are some intangible waves
of destructive elements which drastically impacts on the values and culture of
certain area.
Tourism is a
practice of travelling for pleasure especially on one’s holidays. It is an
organized journey during which several places are visited. Tourism is not
merely a business for providing pleasure and rest. It is now grown into a big
industry. Most recently by years hundreds of thousands of local and foreign
tourists have being coming to GB as a result people earn a lot and improving their
quality of life. Tourism has caused the growth of travel agencies and tour
operators, establishment of hotels and guest houses, restaurants and eating
houses and making of luxury transportation. It has also encouraged the revival
and modernization. And many small-scale cottage industries whose artisan and
craftsman have now flooded the market with innumerable gift items and curios.
It its own way tourism is thus trying to solve a part of our vast unemployment
problems, adding cultural exchange, health and wellness, growth of service
sector, recreation and foreign exchange earnings as well.
Tourism also as
an ultimate mass movement towards beautiful places to make them much dirtier. Damage to the landscape: litter,
erosion, fires, disturbance to livestock, vandalism. Traffic congestion and
pollution. Local goods can become expensive because tourists will pay more.
Shops stock products for tourists and not everyday goods needed by locals.
Demand for holiday homes makes housing too expensive for local people. Demand
for development of more shops and hotels. Jobs are mainly seasonal, low paid
with long hours
Local and national
government should work with local communities and other organizations to try
and make tourism more sustainable.
Things like to Show visitors how they can be responsible tourists with events, leaflets, information centers, guided walks and events, signs and websites. Encourage visitors to leave their cars behind and use greener travel, like bikes, buses, boats and trains. Support outdoor activities that don't damage the countryside or harm wildlife. Encourage visitors to buy local products and food. Run green business schemes to encourage businesses to recycle, reduce energy, conserve water and be sustainable. Ask local communities for their views and ideas by setting up forums, groups and consultations. Reduce erosion caused by visitors, by creating and repairing footpaths. Use planning policies to control the spread of buildings in built-up areas development. Encourage green energy-efficient buildings with planning policies and grant funding. Encourage small-scale renewable energy schemes, like woodchip boilers and solar panels, with planning policies and grant funding.
Things like to Show visitors how they can be responsible tourists with events, leaflets, information centers, guided walks and events, signs and websites. Encourage visitors to leave their cars behind and use greener travel, like bikes, buses, boats and trains. Support outdoor activities that don't damage the countryside or harm wildlife. Encourage visitors to buy local products and food. Run green business schemes to encourage businesses to recycle, reduce energy, conserve water and be sustainable. Ask local communities for their views and ideas by setting up forums, groups and consultations. Reduce erosion caused by visitors, by creating and repairing footpaths. Use planning policies to control the spread of buildings in built-up areas development. Encourage green energy-efficient buildings with planning policies and grant funding. Encourage small-scale renewable energy schemes, like woodchip boilers and solar panels, with planning policies and grant funding.
This the ultimate way through which
people of GB can survive and improve their quality of life as well as
strengthens the sustainable tourism into GB.
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