Lahore
Climate change is a global phenomenon but, its adverse impact on Pakistan’s tourism industry is glaring. With temperatures 9°C above normal, Lahore’s tourism sector – accustomed to foreign visitors until the end of May – has been shell-shocked in recent months.
As per a tour guide Adil Lahorei, his clients from Eastern Europe said that it was time to head north immediately as temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius in the capital city of Punjab state, source reported.
In May, Pakistan witnessed its hottest April in 61 years. March had been the ninth driest since 1961. The heatwave meant Lahore’s traditional springtime had already begun betraying elements of peak summer, source reported.
While rising temperatures have pushed visitors out of Lahore, they are being increasingly lured to the north not only owing to the cool weather but also because glaciers melting early in the season mean tourist attractions opening faster than usual. When passes such as Babusar, Deosai, and Khunjerab become passable, countless lakes, parks and other scenic sites are accessible to tourists.
It used to be unheard of for Khunjerab Pass to be open this time of the year. But due to global warming, the tourist season for the northern areas is starting sooner. Meanwhile, I only have a single tourist query for Lahore for the summer, Adil said.
Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city has been a cultural hub for centuries, with architectural heritage, however, the decades-old quest of global travellers to explore Lahore’s rich history has been hit by one crisis after another.
