Pokhara Sees 90 Percent Hotel Occupancy During Festive Holidays

Pokhara, the tourism capital of Nepal, is currently witnessing a surge in domestic and foreign tourists, with hotels, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses experiencing an encouraging buzz during the Dashain–Tihar festive holidays. The clear view of mountains and favorable weather have further boosted the city’s tourism activity, bringing relief to entrepreneurs after a prolonged slowdown.

“The tourism sector of Pokhara, which had suffered from various disasters, has now felt some relief. The arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been satisfactory especially during Tihar,” said Laxman Subedi, president of the Hotel Association Pokhara. “Due to the festive holidays and favorable weather, about 90 percent of the lakeside hotels are currently occupied.”

The arrival of domestic and international tourists heading to the Annapurna region for trekking and to Mustang via Pokhara has also contributed to the rising numbers. This trend is expected to have a positive impact not only on Pokhara but also across the Gandaki Province.

According to Subedi, Pokhara has around 1,200 tourist-standard hotels, with about 700 concentrated in the lakeside and damside areas. The city’s hotels can accommodate around 40,000 guests per night.

Krishna Acharya, president of the Pokhara chapter of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), said the numerous scenic trails in the Annapurna region continue to attract trekkers from around the world. “The arrival of domestic and foreign tourists is now encouraging,” he said, noting that TAAN recently promoted the Annapurna North, also known as the Maurice Herzog Trail.

Similarly, Bishwaraj Poudel, President of the Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (REBAN) Pokhara, expressed happiness over the rise in tourist inflow after a long time. He said the tourist turnout during Tihar has been even better than during Dashain.

Meanwhile, Hari Bhujel, senior vice president of the Pokhara Tourism Council, cautioned that the recent surge alone is not enough to sustain investment in the tourism sector. He urged the government to adopt a long-term plan to attract visitors year-round.

He also emphasized the need for a sustainable tourism strategy to protect the industry from risks posed by natural disasters, political instability, and pandemics. -- RSS