saiyan0321
PDF THINK TANK: ANALYST
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2012
- Messages
- 6,455
- Reaction score
- 121
- Country
- Location
View of Satpara Lake from the patio of the PTDC Motel. PHOTO FILE
ISLAMABAD: After nearly a decade, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has decided to reopen its motel at Satpara Lake in Skardu.
The popular resort has been shut nearly for 10 years due to the construction of the Satpara dam.
“Soon the motel would become functional for tourists,” PTDC Managing Director Abdul Ghafoor told APP.
The corporation was making efforts to reopen the motel to spur activity from the private sector and to get a leg up on the competition. Ghafoor said that PTDC has at least nine other motels located all over Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Tourism not only earns foreign exchange for the country, it also provides direct and indirect income to the local people,” he said. Scores of trade and services including transport, food and hospitality sectors thrive on tourism.
The Gilgit-Baltistan government recently said that this year it saw nearly a million tourists, up from 500,000 tourists last year.
Ghafoor suggested focusing on the beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan region to show true face of Pakistan to the world.
The 12-room motel, overlooking on Satpara Lake, was frequented by the foreign and local tourists alike for many years till its closure a decade ago.
The natural lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the country and offers ample attractions to visitors.
The motel is situated just nine kilometres from Skardu, and takes about 20 minutes to reach by jeep. Another hour-long drive by jeep from the motel takes tourists to the second largest plateau of the world, the Deosai Plains located at an altitude of 16,000 feet. Its usual operating months are May through October.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2016.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1213702/10-years-ptdc-set-reopen-satpara-lake-motel/
Man it looks so beautiful. Truly the heaven on earth lies in gilgit baltistan. The more I see the pictures, the more I just want to leave and shift there and live there.
I am glad that this is happening bcz it will increase tourism which will allow the GB govt to earn more as well as help local economy and also improve the image of pakistan.
@WAJsal @django @Zibago @Joe Shearer @shimshali