According to Pokhara Tourism Office, entrepreneurs have taken permission for the construction 30 new hotels in the lake city. Likewise, the office has also issued permits to build eight hotels in nearby districts. [break]Four of the hotels will be built in Mustang, while two will be built in Myagdi and one each in Tanahun and Baglung. Most of the new hotels are of tourist class category.
“The new hotels are being constructed with investment in range of Rs 600,000 to Rs 20 million, depending upon their size, capacity and location,” said Giridhari Dhakal, chief of Pokhara Tourism Office.
At least Rs 160 million is being invested in these hotels, according to the office. The new hotels will add 450 rooms and 850 beds in Pokhara alone. With the fresh permit, the number of hotels in the city has reached about 600.
“It is really encouraging that entrepreneurs are readily making fresh investment in the sector,” said Dhakal, attributing the rise in investment to increase in the number of tourist arrivals in recent period and also positive developments in the peace process.
Entrepreneurs said they are investing in hotel industry mainly because they are hopeful that the positive impact of Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011, which brought in substantial number of tourists in the city, would continue to have its effect in the coming years as well.
Fifty new hotels were built in Pokhara before the NTY 2011 campaign kicked off.
“With the peace process heading toward conclusion, entrepreneurs feel it is safe to invest in hotel now. Likewise, recent growth in business has also shown prospects for handsome returns,” said Tikaram Sapkota, chairman of Pokhara Tourism Council and member of Nepal Tourism Board.
Referring to the recent ´Vision 2020´ that the government recently unveiled for the tourism sector, Sapkota said that could also have buoyed the confidence of the investors.
Under the Vision 2020, the government has accorded top priority to the tourism sector and has promised to launch special programs to promote the sector consistently through these years.
Pokhara is presently serving half a million tourists, including domestic visitors, in a year. While the city has already become a prime destination for foreign tourists, the number of domestic tourists visiting the city too has increased significantly in recent years.
Travel, trekking sector too draw more investment
Not just the hotel industry, travel and trekking businesses have also recorded substantial rise in investment over the year.
Seventeen travel agencies and eight trekking agencies have received permission from Pokhara Tourism Office so far this year. Together they have injected fresh investment of Rs 55 million in the travel trade industry.
With these new agencies, the number of travel and trekking agencies in Pokhara has reached 188 and 83 respectively.
“The sector casts pretty good outlook in terms of business. Hence, we are witnessing substantial inflow of investments in the sector,” said Som Thapa, president of Western Regional Chapter of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN). “If the political parties refrained from announcing bandas and strike, the industry will grow at a more rapid pace.”
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