By Ridda Hamid

WEB DESK: Pakistan is blessed to have a number of places where one can experience lush green surroundings, pine trees, cold breeze and scenic views.Undoubtedly,Pakistan is self-sufficient when it comes to the natural beauty.

From the historical reverberations of Mohenjo-Daro to the lush green meadows of Kaghan Valley to the heady snow-capped peaks of Nanga Parbat; the country is chock full of tourist attractions satisfying the wanderlust souls. According to a news report, during 2016’s summer season, around 0.7 million tourist influx was observed in Naran and Kaghan alone.

But these are far-off locations. What about those with in an arms distance that satisfy our tourist sensibilities while staying in close proximity to the urban center? General consensus on this query would be the hill station of Murree.

Located approximately 50 km from Islamabad, Murree has its own distinctive features.With a well carpeted Murree Expressway that has made commute all the more convenient; this magnificent hill station caters to the needs of tourists looking for a quick getaway.

As per estimations, “around 15,000 local tourists visit Murree, Nathiagali, Ayubia and other popular spots on daily basis”

Murree Projects in the Pipeline

Apart from its scenic scenery, there are several reasons for the massive number of visitors coming to Murree every year. Patriata New Murree Chair Lift is a recent addition to the factors which drive tourism in this region of the country. According to a source, PM Nawaz Sharif sanctioned the launch of chair lift project from KotliSattian to Patriata and from BastalMorr to Pindi Point. ‘With the completion of chair lift project, New Murree will be a completely vehicle free city, comprising of trans-system only’, adds Mr. Hassan Chheenah of Country Dealers agency. Cinepax Cinema is another project in the pipeline which will cater to the passionate cinema fans touring Murree.

Niceties Offered by Murree Property

By keeping in mind the tourists’ need, investors have designed and built villas accordingly. Green Hill Resorts is a fully furnished Murree real estate project offering exquisite design, furniture for each room and basic devices such as heaters, LCDs and Microwave Ovens. Located on the main expressway at Danna, it provides easy access to the Sozo Adventure Park and other tourist spots. Valley View Resort, another Murree real estate project has an exceptional view on offer from the balcony, spacious parking area and proximity to the Mall road.

Houses in Murree can be purchased in all kinds of area sizes with the capacity options ranging from 2 to 8 bedrooms. Correspondingly, plots in Murreeare available in several localities such as Bhurban, New Murree, Mall Road, etc. As per Zameen.com stats, plots in Murreeare available for an average PKR 130,000 per marla.

Increased Tourism and Expectations

Murree property plays a vital role in boosting the tourism. Keeping in mind the number of people that have visited Murree in this season, it is expected that the tourist influx will increase in coming years. This will lead to more demand of hotels and residential areas in the vicinity.

To cater to the demands of this influx, the government needs to come up with more facilities which will further boost the tourism industry. Additional Murree projects will cater to the increasing number of tourists while making their experience a more memorable one.