SWAT: The Swat Valley, renowned for its stunning landscapes, glaciers and snow-covered vistas, is grappling with an unexpected downturn in tourism due to lack of snowfall this winter.
The inadequate snowfall especially in Kalam, Bahrain, Miandam and Malamjabba has left both tourists adventure sports enthusiasts and the local hotel industry reeling, with limited visitors this season flocking to the area’s famed winter attractions.
Swat’s winter tourism, once synonymous with skiing, snowboarding, paragliding and mountain retreats, has been severely impacted by the warmer-than-usual cold temperatures these days and an absence of snow in popular tourist spots such as Kalam, Madain, Bahrain, Oshu, Mahudhand and Malam Jabba have marred hotel and transport industries.
This unusual weather pattern has caused many planned winter vacations tours packages to be cancelled or rerouted to destinations such as Naltar Gilgit-Baltistan and Muree that offer a more reliable winter snowfall experience.
Hotel owners are reporting a significant drop in business this summer in Swat. “The snow is what attracts tourists to Swat, especially during the winter season,” said Ali Khan, manager of Swat Continental in Mingora.
“Without it, people are simply choosing to go elsewhere especially Naltar and Muree. We’re facing tough times right now.” Some businesses have seen a staggering 60% decline in bookings compared to previous winters.
Local authorities and tourism operators remain hopeful that the lack of snow is a temporary anomaly, but environmental experts warn that these shifting weather patterns may point to larger, more concerning issues due to climate change.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, while the country typically receives an average of 267.6 mm of rainfall annually, areas with dense forests, such as upper Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), usually experience more consistent snow and rainfall.
However, unpredictable snowfall trends are becoming more frequent due to deforestation in Swat, which could undermine the region’s tourism-driven hotels and transport based economy in future.
Abu Zafar Sadiq, President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, noted that three each tour packages from Islamabad to Swat and Murree were cancelled this month due to the lack of snowfall.
These days, Swat hotels were jam-packed in the past but not this year due to lack of snowfall, forcing us to cancelled our tours planned this weekend to Kalam and Malam Jabba.
In response, hotel owners are diversifying their strategies to attract visitors. Some are offering off-season discounts, while others are organizing cultural events to showcase the region’s rich heritage.
Swat’s natural beauty, even without snow, remains an allure, but the absence of winter’s hallmark snowfall continues to challenge the tourism industry.
Environmental experts are also calling for action to address broader climate-related concerns.
Engr Fakhre Alam, spokesman for Small Dams KP, suggested that small and medium-sized dams could help mitigate the effects of unpredictable weather.
“Small dams could be built in just two to three years, while large dams can take 10 to 15 years. This is a visible solution to counter the challenges posed by climate change,” he said.
Fakhre Alam further emphasized that Pakistan would need an additional 76 million acre-feet (MAF) of water by 2050 to meet its growing demands, with small and medium dams playing a crucial role in achieving this goal.
He said that 37 small and medium dams have been constructed across KP, with several others under development to further secure water resources in the face of changing weather patterns.
As winter draws to a close, there is hope that the snowfall will return in time for the spring season. However, for many in Swat’s hospitality sector, the future of the valley’s tourism industry remains uncertain.
The experts underlined the need of massive plantations imperative to counter the climate change induced weather patterns in KP.
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