ISLAMABAD – Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam announced that the first ecotourism village of Pakistan will be launched in the mountains of Kaghan Valley in March 2022.
According to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), ecotourism is a “responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education”
Aslam said that zero-wasted policy will be implemented in the ecotourism village, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, adding that visits to the place will involve a six-day trek on foot.
The PM’s aide said that the project will help reduce the negative impact of the tourism industry on the environment.
A sneak preview into #Pakistan ‘s first #EcoTourismVillage developed by @ClimateChangePK with @UNDP_Pakistan in #Kaghan valley and opening in March – #ZeroCarbon and #ZeroWaste pic.twitter.com/SLEjfDCxjC
— Malik Amin Aslam (@aminattock) December 29, 2021
He said that the projects will not only educate the people related to the industry but also uplift the living standard of local residents.
The village is located at a two-hour jeep drive from the historic Monroe Track which has recently been restored by the PTI government under its 10 Billion Tree Tsunami project.
Located in Shankiari, a town in Mansehra, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the 50-kilometre long hiking trail is about 100 years old and was first marked by Monroe, a British forester. However, the track was later lost, Arab News reported.
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