Tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan Plummets by 90% Amid Natural Disasters and Geopolitical Unrest

Gilgit: Tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan has suffered a staggering 90% decline this year due to a combination of natural disasters, geopolitical tensions, and administrative challenges, severely impacting the region’s local economy.

According to media reports, officials from the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department confirmed that only 270 international climbers visited the region in 2025 to scale iconic peaks such as K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I & II, and Nanga Parbat — a sharp drop from over 2,000 foreign mountaineers and trekkers in the previous year.

Assistant Director of the Tourism Department, Sajid Hussain, stated that extreme weather conditions, including rockfalls, avalanches, and high-speed winds, forced most climbers to abandon their expeditions, with many unable to leave base camps.

Out of those who arrived, only 40 climbers successfully summited K2, 25 reached the top of Nanga Parbat, and about a dozen scaled Gasherbrum I.

Iqbal Hussain, Director of the GB Tourism Department, revealed that last year, nearly 24,000 foreign tourists visited without permits and over one million domestic tourists explored the region. However, this year, the tourism season has faced an unprecedented crisis, with both domestic and international arrivals dropping by approximately 90%.

Tour operator Asghar Ali Poorak attributed the decline to several factors, including unresolved disputes over increased permit fees between the tourism department and tour operators, regional conflicts such as the Iran-Israel standoff, tensions between Pakistan and India, and unpredictable weather on major peaks, which led many climbers and trekkers to cancel their plans.

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On the ground, the impact is visible. A tea vendor along the Karakoram Highway expressed dismay: “The tourist season usually runs from May to October, but this year, entire days go by without a single customer. I return home empty-handed.”

Hotel owners, shopkeepers, transporters, porters, and tour guides across the region have reported massive financial losses. Haider Abbas, owner of Gilgit Looms, said his business has been hit hard despite major investments. “Now, it’s becoming difficult to even pay rent and staff salaries,” he lamented.

With the tourism industry at the heart of Gilgit-Baltistan’s economy, stakeholders are urging immediate policy action, better coordination, and climate-resilient infrastructure to revive the sector and protect the livelihoods of thousands dependent on it.