Effects of Climate Change on Tourism in Pakistan

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON TOURISM IN PAKISTANON TOURISM IN PAKISTAN

MAIN TOURISM PRODUCTS OF MAIN TOURISM PRODUCTS OF PAKISTANPAKISTAN

Nature & AdventureNature & Adventure

Culture & HeritageCulture & Heritage

History & ArchaeologyHistory & Archaeology

TYPES OF NATURE AND ADVENTURE TYPES OF NATURE AND ADVENTURE TOURISM PRODUCTSTOURISM PRODUCTS

Mountaineering, Trekking, Hiking and Skiing Mountaineering, Trekking, Hiking and Skiing

Eco-tourism Eco-tourism

Trout fishing and Bird Watching Trout fishing and Bird Watching

Camel and Yak SafarisCamel and Yak Safaris

White Water RaftingWhite Water Rafting

Wild Boar HuntingWild Boar Hunting

Mountain and Desert Jeep SafarisMountain and Desert Jeep Safaris

MAJOR EFFECTS OF MAJOR EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGE

Floods, droughts, food shortages, health Floods, droughts, food shortages, health

hazards, land-slides, road blocks, damage hazards, land-slides, road blocks, damage

to infrastructure (roads, highways, to infrastructure (roads, highways,

railways, houses, hospitals, hotels, railways, houses, hospitals, hotels,

restaurants, shops, schools, offices etc.)restaurants, shops, schools, offices etc.)

RECENT PHENOMENON AFFECTING RECENT PHENOMENON AFFECTING POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONSPOPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Formation of Lake at Atabad (Hunza Valley) Formation of Lake at Atabad (Hunza Valley)

submerging 35 KM of Karakoram Highway.submerging 35 KM of Karakoram Highway.

In additional to Chitral, Dir and Shangla districts, Swat In additional to Chitral, Dir and Shangla districts, Swat

Valley was the worst hit tourist destination during the Valley was the worst hit tourist destination during the

flood in July 2010. flood in July 2010.

Over 100 hotels and around 400 restaurants & Over 100 hotels and around 400 restaurants &

handicrafts shops in Swat Valley damaged due to handicrafts shops in Swat Valley damaged due to

floods. floods.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON TOURISM ACTIVITIESON TOURISM ACTIVITIES

Disruption in Tourist’s movementsDisruption in Tourist’s movements

Increased melting of snow and glaciers, frequent Increased melting of snow and glaciers, frequent mud and mountain slides during summer season in mud and mountain slides during summer season in Kaghan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and Kashmir blocks Kaghan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and Kashmir blocks access roads, jeep treks and hiking trails. access roads, jeep treks and hiking trails.

The air traffic to these area faces disruption & delays.The air traffic to these area faces disruption & delays.

During winter, increased snow-fall disrupts During winter, increased snow-fall disrupts movements in higher elevations.movements in higher elevations.


Mountaineering:Mountaineering: Permanent snow line which presently varies Permanent snow line which presently varies

between 4500 and 5,000 metres is gradually moving between 4500 and 5,000 metres is gradually moving upward, which exposes the mountain rock faces upward, which exposes the mountain rock faces adding to grade of difficulty of climbing at higher adding to grade of difficulty of climbing at higher altitudes. altitudes.

Depletion also makes the mountain slopes further Depletion also makes the mountain slopes further instable causing more rock falls. As a result, instable causing more rock falls. As a result, climbing high altitude mountains has become more climbing high altitude mountains has become more difficult and hazardous. Changing climate pattern difficult and hazardous. Changing climate pattern has affected success rate on the high mountains.has affected success rate on the high mountains.


Trekking: Trekking: Forming of new crevasses and cracks, and retreating Forming of new crevasses and cracks, and retreating

of glaciers coupled with thinning of the glacial ice of glaciers coupled with thinning of the glacial ice disrupts trekker’s movement on the glaciers.disrupts trekker’s movement on the glaciers.

Due to moving and melting nature all glaciated areas Due to moving and melting nature all glaciated areas undergo frequent changes on annual basis resulting undergo frequent changes on annual basis resulting in shifting of crevasses and cracks, and the ice in shifting of crevasses and cracks, and the ice thickness. thickness.

This phenomenon enhances the grade of difficulty This phenomenon enhances the grade of difficulty for trekkers in the glaciated areas. Trekkers become for trekkers in the glaciated areas. Trekkers become increasingly exposed to glacial lake outbursts.increasingly exposed to glacial lake outbursts.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

ON TOURISM ACTIVITIESON TOURISM ACTIVITIES Skiing:Skiing: Due to lesser snow accumulation at the lower Due to lesser snow accumulation at the lower

heights the snow deposit on Ski resorts of Naltar heights the snow deposit on Ski resorts of Naltar and Malam Jabba is reducing.and Malam Jabba is reducing.

Skiing activities conducted near Nathiagali and Skiing activities conducted near Nathiagali and Kalabagh in have also shown declining trend due Kalabagh in have also shown declining trend due to inadequate snow accumulation.to inadequate snow accumulation.


Sightseeing by Road:Sightseeing by Road:

This type of tourism is affected due to frequent road This type of tourism is affected due to frequent road

blocks and closures during summers.blocks and closures during summers.

This has proven a negative factor in promoting jeep This has proven a negative factor in promoting jeep

safaris and other road bound tourism products. safaris and other road bound tourism products.

Tourist activity mainly in valleys like Swat, Kaghan, Tourist activity mainly in valleys like Swat, Kaghan,

Murree / Galliat and Azad Kashmir remain subjected Murree / Galliat and Azad Kashmir remain subjected

to increased snow melts and precipitation resulting to increased snow melts and precipitation resulting

in frequent avalanches and mud slides. This affects in frequent avalanches and mud slides. This affects

the tourist movement and traffic to these areas the tourist movement and traffic to these areas


Eco-TourismEco-Tourism All the nature based activities like mountaineering, trekking, All the nature based activities like mountaineering, trekking,

nature watching etc, covered under the term, are affected nature watching etc, covered under the term, are affected

during summer for the reasons as explained earlier.during summer for the reasons as explained earlier.

The habitat of local wildlife will be affected by snow shift at The habitat of local wildlife will be affected by snow shift at

higher elevations and high temperatures in the plains and higher elevations and high temperatures in the plains and

deserts. deserts.

Due to changing weather patterns the nature and wildlife Due to changing weather patterns the nature and wildlife

watching will also be affected. watching will also be affected.

ConclusionConclusion Continued Climate Change is affecting abounding Continued Climate Change is affecting abounding

potentials of Pakistan’s nature based tourism. potentials of Pakistan’s nature based tourism.

Rising temperatures, especially during winter, is Rising temperatures, especially during winter, is

affecting the snow cycle in the great mountain ranges affecting the snow cycle in the great mountain ranges

of Karakorams, Himalayas and the Hindukush of Karakorams, Himalayas and the Hindukush

resulting faster glacial melt down not only denuding resulting faster glacial melt down not only denuding

the ice reservoir in these ranges but affecting its the ice reservoir in these ranges but affecting its

ecological balance. ecological balance.

This will have far-reaching affect on the tourism both This will have far-reaching affect on the tourism both

the high altitude adventure and road bound tourism. the high altitude adventure and road bound tourism.

The Climate Change will also affect on the wild life, The Climate Change will also affect on the wild life,

flora and fauna, and the eco tourism.flora and fauna, and the eco tourism.

Documents

Effects of Climate Change on Tourism in Pakistan