Pokhara entrepreneurs trying to lure more domestic tourists

Tourism entrepreneurs from Pokhara are setting their sights on domestic tourists to boost their business . The tourism entrepreneurs from the Lake City - still the first preferred domestic travel destination for many Nepalis - are making their pitch with a campaign ‘Lets go to Pokhara’.

The first leg of the campaign that started from Ilam recently concluded in Kathamndu. The campaign was initiated to develop travelling habit amongst the Nepali and attract them to Pokhara. “The campaign was started as the promotion of the domestic tourism is beneficial for the entire tourism industry,” said Biplov Poudel, president of Paschimanchal Hotel Association.

Under the campaign, the tourism entrepreneurs from Pokhara travelled to various bordering cities like Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Dhangadi and Mahendranagar and interacted with the locals. “The idea was also to interact with the local tourism entrepreneurs,” said Poudel.

First such campaign was held in early 2000 when the tourism industry was badly hit by the insurgency.

That campaign was successful in developing touring habit among the Nepalis and promoting the internal tourism, according to Bikal Tulachan, general secretary of the association.

“Arrival of domestic tourists is satisfactory in Pokhara and this campaign will further aid it,” said Tulachan. Domestic tourists account for 30 percent of the hotel occupancy in Pokhara and the association aims to increase that to 50 percent. The Lake City boasts about 400 hotels with 12,000 beds.

Poudel said that local tourism entrepreneurs of the cities they travelled suggested them to provide quality transportation service to Pokhara from the bordering cities for the success of Visit Lumbini Year 2012.

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