Enthusiasm in tourism sector

KATHMANDU, Sept 18

Fall in the frequency of strikes and other disruptive activities has had a positive impact on tourism sector with the tourists also showing interest to visit Nepal following the second Constituent Assembly (CA) election.

There has been enthusiastic booking for this year’s tourist season, according to the tourism entrepreneurs. Up to 90 percent of hotel rooms have been booked as the main tourist season starts, while almost all the international air tickets to Nepal have been booked. Likewise, booking for tour and trekking companies has also increased by 15 percent. The three months after September until Christmas and New Year of the Gregorian Calendar is considered to be the major tourist season in Nepal—the months of March, April and May the second season—with the majority of tourists coming for trekking. Tourism entrepreneurs are hopeful of a rise in tourist arrival, that had fallen by 1.7 percent in the last year, due to the improved booking this year.

General Secretary of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) Binayak Shah says 90 percent of booking has been done for star and tourist level hotels and resorts, and claims that the remaining 10 percent will be used by Indian and Chinese tourists who visit for a short period of time. “Booking is better than last year. This has further boosted tourism potential of Nepal,” he adds. He feels booking has increased at a high rate also as the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent positive message across the world.  

Booking was not even 50 percent for the last season. The entrepreneurs deflated after that have been ecstatic following this season’s booking. “Booking for trekking had fallen significantly in the last season. It has increased by 15 percent this year,” President of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) Ramesh Dhamala says. “The tourists suffer during the main season due to the problem of airline companies. Tourist arrival will easily rise to 1.50 million if we can make the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) stronger,” he claims.

Former president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) and promoter of Gandaki Travel Agency Ramkaji Kone says booking for even the next year’s season has started despite the shambolic state of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). “Not even the hotel rooms in Pokhara are unoccupied. Booking would have been better had the NTB organized promotional programs in India and China,” he adds.