POKHARA, Sept 16: Entrepreneurs in Pokhara have said that the tourism business has not been able to grow due to poor management of airways and road mechanism.
Speaking at the 19th annual general meeting (AGM) of Pokhara Tourism Council, entrepreneurs said the tourism sector of Pokhara was on a decline in recent times.
“There is no proper plan for the growth of tourism sector. The government has not designed any specific package for Visit Nepal Year till now,” said Ganesh Bhattarai, a tourism entrepreneur operating in Pokhara.
“Though the provincial government of Gandaki has announced 2019 as ‘Internal Tourism Year’ and the federal government has announced 2020 as the Visit Nepal Year, no effort has been made for the success of the campaigns in this region,” Bhattarai said. The Internal Tourism Year 2019 is almost about to finish, however, no activity has been organized yet, he said.
'Unfriendly environment hinders investment'
Bhattarai said that European tourists, who spend well during their stay, have almost stopped coming to Pokhara. “The government has not developed infrastructure and supportive environment to bring such tourists.”
“It takes much time to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu. Also, it is not easy to come from Bhairahawa to Pokhara,” he added “Land route is not convenient and even the air route is also not easy.”
He said that the tourists were repelled by the dust on the city roads and also along the trails when they go for trekking. “As dusty motorways have been constructed near the trails, trekkers have to bear with the dust,” said Bhattarai. “At least the trekking trials should have been made dust-free.”
Another tourism entrepreneur, Agni Kandel, said that the tourism sector has been affected due to cold relations between entrepreneurs and the provincial government.
Bindu Thapa, provincial assembly member of Gandaki, said that despite the ongoing construction of Pokhara International Airport, no supportive infrastructure development has taken place in the area.
“The number of hotels has been increasing rapidly, but the number of tourists is very less,” said Thapa. “Unhealthy competition is growing among the hoteliers due to less number of tourists in the region.”
Chiranjivi Pokharel, president of the council, said that as the infrastructure was not supportive, very few tourists came to Pokhara.
“To commercialize the tourism sector in a systematic way, we have to focus on infrastructural development,” said Pokharel. “The airport is being constructed; however, there is no focus on infrastructural side.”
“The highway is also in a pathetic situation,” he said The reconstruction and renovation works in the highway is also very slow, he said. According to Pokharel, without fast track, bringing good number tourist to Pokhara is very difficult.
“Connectivity is a main challenge for the tourism sector,” said Minister for Tourism for the Gandaki Province, Bikas Lamsal.
He said that the provincial government will work to operate direct flights from Pokhara to Biratnagar and Pokhara to Nepalgunj. “We have been discussing with two companies regarding extending flights,” said Minister Lamsal.
