MINGORA: The Swat tourist industry and hotels association have rejected the government`s decision of imposing ban on tourists` entry to the Swat valley.

They said that tourism was the backbone of Swat`s economy where about 800 hotels and restaurants for the past two months had been closed, causing an estimated Rs50 million losses a month to the owners and over 12,000 workers of the hotels.

Swat valley is 1(nown for its dazzling tourist spots where thousands of people visit to enjoy the scenic beauty and serenity.

However, this year the KP government had banned entry of the visitors into all the tourist spots of Malakand division, including Swat valley, as one of the measures to stopspread ofcoronavirus.

`Ban on tourists` entry into Swat is a strange decision as all bazaars and markets are open. These areas are packed with people who do not follow SOPs whilein hotels where guests have proper rooms with sanitisers and the SOPs can easily be implemented,` said Haji Zahid Khan, president of All Swat Hotels Association.

He said that apart from 12,000 people connected with the hotel industry directly, some 18,000 others like suppliers of different goods, transporters, grocery shops, fruits and vegetables shops, tour guides and other workers were also affected by the closure.

`Every hotel on average pay Rs700,000 monthly in salaries to its workers,` he said and claimed that the closure of hotels and ban on tourist activities was a violation of the orders of Supreme Court issued on May 18, directing the government to open all the businesses.

Apart from hotels, a large number of transporters have also been affected due to the closure of hotels and ban on tourism.

`I was earning about Rs30,000 a month taking tourists to different spots in my car, but after implementation of lockdown amid the virus outbreak I am jobless, said Mohammad Iqbal, a taxi driver. He said that they could not do any business during Eid holidays, which used to be a big source of income for them because of brisk tourist activities.

Earlier, the Swat district governmenthad issued directives to the assistant commissioners to monitor all the entry points of Swat valley.

`No tourist will be allowed to enter Swat valley,` said Swat deputy commissioner Saqib Raza Aslam, adding that legal action would be taken against hotelowners and managers who violated the order.

He also asked the assistant commissioners to install banners at the entry points of Swat, informing the visitors that the tourists spots had been closed as a preventive measure against spread of coronavirus.