Pokhara Metropolis gearing up for Visit Year 2025
POKHARA, JANUARY 24: The Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has intensified preparations to celebrate Pokhara Visit Year 2025 in grand style. Declared as Nepal's tourism hub last year, Pokhara aims to leverage the yearlong campaign to stimulate economic activities, create jobs, promote art and culture, and ensure nature conservation.
Tourism entrepreneurs have expressed optimism, viewing the event as an opportunity to drive benefits for the local economy. Mayor Dhanraj Acharya announced plans to host a special function later this month or early next month to initiate the tourism activities under the campaign. "Pokhara Visit Year 2025 will be a milestone for promoting tourism in the city and its surroundings. Preparations are well underway," he stated.
The campaign is part of PMC's official policies and programs, with an emphasis on multi-layered collaboration—local, national, and international. Mayor Acharya highlighted the importance of cooperation, pointing out that China’s declaration of 2025 as a Nepal Visit Year could significantly support Nepal's tourism initiatives.
Bimal Ranjan Karki, Chief of the Tourism and Urban Development Division at PMC, outlined key initiatives planned for the Visit Year. These include starting regular international flights from Pokhara International Airport, diversifying tourism activities into rural areas, fostering eco-tourism, and actively involving locals in tourism efforts. Additionally, the campaign will focus on national and international promotion of Pokhara through digital media.
PMC has set an ambitious target of attracting 1.5 million tourists during 2025. However, Dr. Ram Chandra Lamichhane, former vice-chairman of the Urban Planning Commission at PMC and a tourism strategist, stressed that mere announcements are insufficient. He called for detailed planning and active engagement to ensure the campaign's success.
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