Paragliding operators said they had to cancel flights after they failed to take tourists to take-off point at Sarangkot due to banda. [bra]
Similarly, Avia Club - the lone operator of ultra-light flights in the country - also cancelled its ultra-light flights after tourists that had booked the flights left Pokhara due to banda.
Rajesh Bamjan, president of Nepal Air Sports Association, banda had inflicted huge loss on tourism entrepreneurs. “More than 99 percent of paragliding trips have been cancelled due to banda. Also, tourists are leaving Pokhara due to uncertainty,” Bamjan said.
April-May is regarded the best season for paragliding in Pokhara. During the same period last year, paragliding companies were operating around 100 flights a day. Air sport operators fear unstable situation in the country might divert potential tourists to other countries.
A total of 15 paragliding companies are operating in Pokhara. They are operating just around two flights a day each, as must of the tourists in Pokhara have returned to Kathmandu. On normal days, they used to operate 8-10 flights a day
Paragliding operators said they have lost business worth around Rs 800,000 per day due to cancellation of flights.
Banda and strikes have also taken toll on Avia Club. Pravin Gauchan, manager of Avia Club, said the company had to cancel around 80 percent of the bookings due to the strikes.
Avia Club used to operate flights totaling as much as 10 hours a day during the same season last year. But it has reduced to as low as two hours a day this year due to banda.
“We are losing business worth Rs 200,000 per day due to cancellation of flights during pre-monsoon - the peak season for ultra-light flights,” said Gauchan.
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