LAHORE: The Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP), in an effort to promote ecotourism, is installing glamping pods at various tourist sites in the province to provide the tourists with low-priced accommodation. The project will cost Rs40m.

According to the officials concerned, installation of glamping pods had been completed at Patriata, Murree, and they would also be installed at Kotli Sattian, Soon Valley and Changa Manga.

TDCP Managing Director Tanveer Jabbar said the project would introduce a new economical accommodation medium for tourists and it would develop new tourist sites near Murree to divert the load from the city. He said the facility would not affect the environment.

TDCP spokesperson Abid Shaukat says in Pakistan, KP Tourism (TCKP) floated the idea of glamping pods and installed glamping pods at Thandiani (Galyat), Bishigram (Swat), Sheikh Badin (Lakki Marwat), Shangla (Malakand) and Sharan (Mansehra). The project was a success and it was appreciated by the large number of visitors.

Mr Shaukat says Patriata has been chosen for installing glamping pods because a large number of tourists visited Patriata top. A lot of tourists would want to spend night at Patriata top but there was no accommodation facility there, he says, however, now glamping pods have solved the problem of accommodation.

These glamping pods will be installed at different tourist destinations in Punjab, including Patriata top and Kotli Sattian. The project is expected to open new ways of investment for the private sector, create job opportunities for the locals and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the area.

The glamping pods have been designed to bear extreme weather conditions with ample ventilation for hot days and insulation to provide resistance to cold in cold weather.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2021