POKHARA, APRIL 8: The number of tourists has increased in the tourist capital city of Pokhara these days. As the eve of Nepali New Year is near, domestic and foreign tourists are thronging here. With it, the tourism businesses and other activities in Pokhara have started gaining momentum. Seeing the progress in the tourist movement in the city, tourism entrepreneurs are getting optimistic.
Lakshman Subedi, President of Pokhara Hotel Association, said that the number of guests in hotels here has reached 50 percent of late. “Friday-Saturday, the occupancy of the hotel reaches 60 percent”, he said, “We expect it to reach 90 per cent during the New Year.” The occupancy of hotels in Pokhara was limited to less than ten percent from December to January, which is considered to be the ‘off season’ for tourism.
President Subedi further expects that the number of tourists will further increase as the ’19th Phewa New Year Festival’ is being organized at the Lakeside in Pokhara targeting the New Year 2081 BS. President Subedi said that a 30 percent discount has been offered by hotels for guests visiting during the festival.
According to him, the hotels numbering 1,200 in Pokhara can accommodate 40,000 guests daily. “Currently , however, we are serving only 20,000 in Pokhara daily”, he said, “To fill all the hotels here, 40,000 tourists should visit Pokhara every day. This may happen in the upcoming days if the guest arrivals continue to growth.”
