Resumption of flights will bring more tourists to Swat and give a boost the local economy
Flight operations resumed for Swat as a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight landed at the Saidu Sharif airport after 17 years. The airport was non-operational since 2004. Known as the Switzerland of the East, Swat offers some truly breathtaking scenery
Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan were among the 47 passengers on the flight. PIA has introduced special low fares to further encourage travelers to explore the route.
The national carrier recently announced that it plans to begin flights between Swat and Lahore and Islamabad. Initially, two flights will take place per week. The flight between Lahore and Sakurdu and Lahore and Gilgit will also begin soon.
During the last few years, the number of tourists traveling to the Northern areas has been on the rise. Despite COVID-19, tourists are once again visiting Pakistan with the conditions slowly normalizing. These flights will facilitate these tourists in their travel adventures. At the same time, more tourists coming to the area will boost the local economies as well. Government must also work to support the development of tourism-related infrastructure to attract even more travelers.