Kathmandu, 31 Chaitra( 13 April): With the arrival of the New Year 2082, the country’s tourism sector has been in a state of excitement due to the influx of tourists. With the arrival of spring and the annual school vacation, parents have taken their children out to promote domestic tourism, while government employees have also reached tourist destinations on vacation as their annual vacations are about to end.
Due to this, the number of religious tourists has increased in religious places from Pathibhara in the east to Shaileshwari in the west. This has led to the promotion of tourism and the country’s economy becoming more dynamic. There is a large presence of domestic tourists in major tourist destinations within the country.
According to Binayak Shah, president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), the number of tourists has increased in most tourist destinations on New Year’s Eve. “Occupancy has reached from a minimum of 35 to almost 100 percent in some places in hotels across the country. There has been a new hope in the business that has been sluggish for some time. ‘New Year’s Eve’ programs have been organized in Thamel, Pokhara, Sauraha, Lumbini, Bhendetar and other areas, which has made tourism more dynamic.”
A large number of tourists have reached the country’s major tourist destinations, including Pathibhara, Ilam, Tinjure, Dharan, Bhedetar, Basantapur, Makalu Base Camp, Khumbu Region, Sagarmatha Base Camp, Lukla, Barahakshetra, Budhasubba, Halesi, Dantakali, Kechanakawal, Chinnamasta, Janakpurdham and Bharattal.
Similarly, Kalinchowk, Charikot, Shailung, Jiri, Panchpokhari, Helambu, Panauti, Palanchowk Bhagwati, Chitwan National Park, Sauraha, Madanbhandari Park in Hetauda, Palung, Daman, Langtang, Gosainkunda, Nuwakot Durbar, Bandipur, Pokhara, Gorkha Durbar area, Kapilvastu, Tilaurakot, Ramgram, Butwal, Palla, Lumbini are considered major tourist destinations.
Bardiya National Park, Dhorpatan, Karnali Bridge, Kankre Bihar, Bulbule Lake, Shuklaphanta, Dodhara-Chadani Suspension Bridge, Api Saipal Himal, Swargadwari, Supadeurali, Baglung Kalika, Galeshwor, Muktinath, Lomanthang, Dang, Ghodaghodi, Dharapani, Shaileshwari, Badimalika, Rara Lake, Bageshwori, Swargadwari, Ranimal have become centers of tourist attraction in recent times.
Foreign tourists are flocking to the Himalayan region for adventure tourism as the weather is suitable for trekking and mountaineering. A large number of domestic and foreign climbers have reached the base camp to climb mountains including Mount Everest.
Not only the federal capital Kathmandu Valley, but most of the country’s tourist destinations are crowded with tourists. Destinations in the valley including Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Lakuri Jhanjyang, Godavari, Chandragiri, Khulekhani, Chitlang, Shivapuri, Kakani, Jarsingpauwa are crowded with domestic tourists. Dakshinkali, Pashupatinath, Swayabhu, Boudhanath, Basantapur, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Square are crowded with tourists. Naveen Gurung of Nagarkot Almost Hotel in Nagarkot said that the occupancy rate at his hotel is 100 percent and that other hotels also have good occupancy rates.
Businessman excited
Tourism in the tourism capital Pokhara has become lively on the occasion of the New Year. However, tourists have canceled some bookings due to the protests. Pokhara Tourism Development Council Chairman Tara Pahari said that the number of tourists in Pokhara increases by three to four days every year during the New Year. “Pokhara sees a two to three day increase in activity during the New Year. Especially Indian and Chinese tourists are seen in greater numbers,” he said. According to him, destinations around Pokhara are full of tourists. The tourist atmosphere has increased in the tourist area of Lumbini. The New Year and festivals have increased the activity in the tourism capital Pokhara. According to Bishworaj Poudel, Chairman of the Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN), Pokhara, the occupancy rate has reached more than 70 percent at this time.
According to CP Shrestha, president of the Siddhartha Hotel Association in Bhairahawa, the occupancy rate in the area has reached more than 35 percent. He says that the arrival of the New Year has boosted tourism. “The hotels in Bhairahawa are especially full of Indian tourists. Domestic tourists have also increased. Hotels have given various discounts and offers. According to the association, more than 150 hotels ranging from five-star to tourist-level are operating in Bhairahawa.
The tourist city of Sauraha has also seen an increase in the number of tourists during the New Year. According to Dhruv Giri, President of the Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN) Sauraha, a significant number of domestic and foreign tourists have arrived in Sauraha. He said that various fairs and festivals during the New Year have helped in promoting tourism.
According to Ganga Giri, outgoing president of the Regional Hotel Association Nepal Chitwan, there is no room available in hotels in Chitwan. “The occupancy of hotels is 100 percent during the New Year, there are no rooms available in any hotel for up to three days,” he said.
Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) President Sagar Pandey also said that the new year will be a year of hope in tourism, which has added positive enthusiasm to the tourism business. He said, “The enthusiasm among tourism entrepreneurs has also increased as not only domestic but also foreign tourists are coming in significant numbers.”
Board activity
The tourism sector is becoming dynamic and marketing for domestic and international tourism attraction is being prioritized, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. The board’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Deepak Raj Joshi informed that the board is aggressively promoting the country internationally. According to him, 17 BTB programs have been organized abroad in the last five months.
Domestically, the Nepal India China Expo has been completed and the ‘East Tourism Mart’ has ended. Preparations are underway for the Sudupaschim Mart. An International Buddhist Travel Mart has been announced. Tourism has been promoted by inviting foreign influencers and media to visit Nepal’s destinations.
According to the board’s statistics, 1.147 million tourists visited Nepal in 2023. 1.115 million tourists entered Nepal in 2023. Before the pandemic, 1.197 million tourists visited Nepal in 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign tourists decreased by 81 percent to 230,085 in 2020.
Similarly, in 2021, 150,962 tourists visited Nepal. This target can be easily achieved only if the air infrastructure and road network are well-developed. Tribhuvan International Airport is operating at full capacity. However, Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airport have not been able to operate effectively. Although international flights are being operated at those two airports.
Chairman Shah believes that the country’s tourism will take a leap forward if the road network and air connectivity are made effective. Kumarmani Thapaliya, Chairman of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents (NATTA), said that the new year has added positive energy to tourism. Although there was a mixture of expectations and disappointment in the tourism sector in the year 2081, he believes that enthusiasm will increase in the tourism sector in the coming year. He said, “There were international flights at Bhairahawa Airport, but flights have been suspended in the latter half of the year. It can also be considered a year of expensive air services. Overall, hope has not died, it is inevitable to take a leap forward in policy to bring results.”
There is a plan to attract more tourists by organizing programs like Visit Year at major tourist destinations in the New Year. In this context, Pokhara has set a target of celebrating 2025 as Visit Year and attracting 2 million tourists. The Fewa Festival has begun in Pokhara. On the occasion of the New Year, ‘Nagarkot Visit Year-2082’ is being organized in Nagarkot from Baisakh 1. The Visit Year is scheduled to be inaugurated by President Ram Chandra Poudel.
The Nagarkot Naldum Tourism Development Committee is coordinating the visit year with the aim of further promoting the nature, culture and history of the Nagarkot region. Committee Chairman Naveen Gurung expressed confidence that domestic and foreign tourists are flocking to Nagarkot on the occasion of the New Year and that the festival will bring more excitement to tourism.
