'Boycott Murree' campaign gains momentum after videos of tourists' harassment go viral

MURREE: A social media campaign has been launched urging tourists to stop visiting Murree during the current season after videos showing local hoteliers and transporters misbehaving with tourists surfaced on the internet.

The campaign addresses the issue that the local hoteliers and transporters are overcharging and mistreating the tourists.

Some of the allegations leveled on the local business mongers are substandard food, lack of hospitality ethics and sky-high prices for accommodations.

It is reported that the hoteliers and restaurateurs beat up a tourist who even complains of being overcharged.

The campaign was launched on social media by families who have recently experienced such misconducts and posted videos on the internet that showcased proof of lack of management and beating of tourists. The videos since published have gone viral on all social media platforms.

This summer vacation don’t go to Murree due to their continuous ill treatment with visitors!
Boycott Murree all tourist!
Visit in BIGGER groups to avoid any untoward incidents!

Go to Nothern areas instead of Murree!!
RT if you agree pic.twitter.com/Dfusph7lJj

— Riz Khan (@Huzefa1983) May 1, 2018

About 10 to 15 million tourists visit Murree and Galliat each year. In the summer, thousands of tourists also spend nights on roadsides.

“There may be a few incidents and the campaign has been started against the resort town and its inhabitants. Some of them just want to create problems for the prime minister who belongs to Murree,” said a local journalist.

People have taken to Twitter to express their dismay over the ongoing situation in Murree.

Some users may find the following videos upsetting

As soon as Pakistan started to earn revenue from tourism, videos re Murree has surfaced and now Nadia has started this obnoxious discussion re tourist places in #KPK I request all concerned to pls investigate who is behind propaganda re tourist areas. @OfficialDGISPR

— Imran MujeebSiddiqui (@SSGPA1) May 1, 2018

How disgusting this behaviour is by people of Murree. Shame on you!#boycottmurree

— Awais Saleem (@AwaisDhareja) May 2, 2018

Boycott murree dont visit there as the residents and the shop keepers mistreat the visitors. Not only this the prices are rediclously high. The murree shopkeepers and businesses have made it their habit to curse and beat up the visitors. So no more murree visits.

— Muhammad Rehan (@Muhamma02936979) May 2, 2018

A social media campaign has been launched asking tourists to boycott Murree during the current season against misbehaviour of local hotel agents, hoteliers and transporters with the tourists.

— *Dr Barkat SOOMRO* (@DrBarkatSoomro) May 2, 2018

Hafiz Javed Akhtar Abbasi, president Hotels’ Association, Saleem Akbar Abbasi, president Citizens’ Forum, Haji Shifaul Haq, president Anjuman-i-Tajiran, and others met the assistant commissioner and the assistant superintendent of police Murree and urged them to take action against the unregistered agents who were responsible for creating a bad impression of the traders and people of Murree.