ISLAMABAD: A weak winter snowfall season has dealt a severe economic setback to tourism‑dependent communities across Murree, hill stations in Punjab Pakistan and adjacent northern regions, and parts of Gilgit‑Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with businesses reporting losses worth billions of rupees.
The Murree snowfall season — traditionally running from late December to mid‑January — has fizzled out, with authorities officially declaring it over from February 15 amid record low visitor numbers and minimal snowfall. Hoteliers, retail traders and dry fruit sellers say the slump has shattered expectations after heavy pre‑season investments.
Traders and shop owners in Murree say families from Gujrat, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Lahore, Sargodha and Multan — who normally flock to the hills during winter vacations — stayed away this season.
Visitor numbers declined by an unprecedented 50–52 per cent, according to local tourism operators. Many families from Rawalpindi and Islamabad either avoided the trip or returned the same day due to lack of snow on the ground.
High travel costs and inflation compounded the problem, with visitors complaining about steep transport, lodging and food prices. Simple items like coffee on Mall Road reportedly fetched as much as Rs350 per cup, while children’s activities such as horse riding and amusement games saw fees double compared to previous years.
Local authorities, including the Murree Price Control Committee, have been criticised for failing to curb price gouging during the peak season, further discouraging family tourists.
Impact Extends to Northern Areas and High‑Altitude Valleys
While Murree and nearby hill stations recorded poor snowfall, northern parts of Pakistan also saw delayed and below‑average winter precipitation, affecting valleys and highland tourist destinations that typically draw travellers from across the country and abroad.
According to meteorological and government forecasts, winter precipitation patterns this season were altered by a weak La Niña system, bringing below‑normal rainfall and snowfall across broad regions of the country, with snowfall largely confined to the highest elevations of the northern ranges.
In Gilgit‑Baltistan — encompassing popular tourist spots such as Skardu, Hunza, Astore and Ghizer — only light snow was reported in several areas this winter, leaving many mountain slopes unusually bare for this time of year. Officials noted that most valleys remained dry, with towns like Skardu reporting just a few inches of snow.
Local environmental experts warn that late and light snowfall not only impacts tourism revenue but may also disrupt glacier recharge and downstream water resources in the coming months.
In Chitral and neighbouring upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts, weather reports this season indicated sporadic snowfall that was lighter and less sustained than usual, forcing tourists and local stallholders to curb expectations ahead of peak winter holidays.
A weather alert issued this week forecasts intermittent snowfall across several northern and upper regions, but the cumulative accumulation remains below long‑term norms.
Economic and Social Fallout
Tourism stakeholders across both Punjab hill stations and northern mountain valleys are urging authorities to design contingency and stimulus plans to support small businesses hit by the downturn. There are calls for price regulation, marketing incentives to attract off‑season visitors, and improved forecasting services to help investors and tourists plan better.
The slump comes at a time when schools and universities have reopened as of January 19, further shrinking the pool of potential holidaymakers just as winter attractions were expected to peak.
Analysts say the uneven and delayed snowfall this year underscores broader climate variability trends that are increasingly affecting Pakistan’s winter tourism economy, from Murree to the far reaches of the northern highlands.
