Asia’s Switzerland, Swat valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is home to one of the oldest civilisations – the Gandhara and the Indus – which could attract millions of domestic and foreign tourists every year. People associated with tourism industry across the district demanded a comprehensive economic package for the hotel industry in the style of a package announced for other industries by the federal and provincial governments to revive coronavirus-affected tourism in Swat district. “In Swat district alone, people associated with tourism face huge losses as they have taken hotels on lease. We have to pay bed tax, sales tax, labour tax, social security tax, tourism tax and several other taxes,” he said. Hotels and restaurants were given tourism industry status 16 years ago but they are still being charged electricity and gas bills at commercial rates,” he said.

Source: Pakistan Today May 12, 2020 16:18 UTC