CHITRAL: More and more people from the country’s hot districts are turning to Chitral’s cold and serene valleys to spend the summer season.

Zahid Rai of Lahore told Dawn on Wednesday that he had been in the area with five members of family for one month and visited Bumburate, Birir and Rumbur valleys.

He said in the past, he used to go to Swat or Kaghan valley to spend the summer season but later, he and his family found Chitral to be an ideal place for the purpose.

Mehmood Ali of Gujranwala said he and his family had come to Chitral for respite from the scorching hot days in hometown.

“We all have been enjoying a lot here. We plan to stay put by the end of August,” he said.

The tourist said he first came to Chitral 15 years ago on his university’s study tour and was fascinated by the natural beauty.

“At that time, I’d seen Chitral’s tourist resorts teeming with foreign tourists and mountaineers, especially Europeans. However, that is not the case anymore as there are only a few foreigners here today,” he said.

Mehmood Ali said compared to the past, roads and facilities in Chitral were in far better condition and thus, contributing to the promotion of tourism.

He said visitors could find good hotels in the district at reasonable rates.

The tourist said Chitral’s transport system, too, had improved a lot over the years with good vehicular options available to visitors.

He, however, said tourists should come to the district on own vehicles as local roads were in good shape.

Hoteliers in Chitral and Kalash said more tourists booked rooms in their hotels during the current summer season than the previous one and that they had to keep their hotels open during Ramazan though they usually remained close during the month of fasting.

Published in Dawn, July 17th , 2014