POKHARA, April 15: The government’s decision to enforce public holidays on Saturdays and Sundays to manage fuel shortages has already come into effect. While authorities expect the two-day weekend system to reduce fuel consumption, the tourism sector believes it could also help boost domestic tourism.
Alongside the holiday arrangement, the government has urged citizens to work from home where possible and avoid unnecessary travel that consumes fuel. It has also indicated the possibility of implementing a rationing system, such as odd-even vehicle restrictions, if required.
As the new holiday schedule is implemented amid fuel constraints, the tourism sector appears both optimistic and concerned. While businesses see potential relief through increased domestic movement, worries over fuel availability persist.
“Looking at the positive side of the two-day holiday, we expect an increase in tourist activity. However, there is equal concern about fuel management,” said Som Thapa, former President of the Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC). “We are hopeful that tourism will rise, but the fuel shortage is worrying. Even if fuel is available, rising prices are making travel expensive, which increases the financial burden on travelers.”
Thapa added that if fuel were not an issue, the two-day holiday would boost domestic tourist flow not only in Pokhara but across all destinations in the country. He said the tourism sector has been expecting increased visitors following the holiday decision, but doubts remain over whether travelers will actually be able to move due to fuel constraints.
“There is a real possibility that people may not be able to travel even if they want to,” he said. “If fuel is unavailable, travel will not happen. If fuel is easily available, then the two-day holiday is definitely positive for the tourism sector.”
Tourism ministry for two-day holiday per week to promote domest...
He also pointed out that although access to Pokhara has improved, fuel shortages and rising costs could still discourage travel. While electric vehicles are becoming more common, their accessibility remains limited.
“Not everyone owns electric vehicles. If EV access were easier, fuel concerns would not arise,” he added.
The government has previously experimented with two-day public holidays, but earlier attempts were not sustained. Those initiatives were halted due to concerns over reduced public service efficiency.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nepal Tourism Board also explored similar ideas to promote domestic tourism when international arrivals dropped sharply. However, those plans were never fully implemented.
According to Maniraj Lamichhane, Gandaki Province Director of the Nepal Tourism Board, such ideas had been proposed even earlier but were not executed successfully.
“During the COVID period, there was a proposal to introduce a two-day public holiday to support domestic tourism when foreign arrivals collapsed,” he said. “But it was never implemented.”
He added that while the current implementation could support domestic tourism, fuel shortages remain a major challenge.
“The government’s decision has now been implemented, and it is expected to support domestic tourism. However, fuel scarcity remains a concern,” he said.
The tourism board supports extended holidays from a domestic tourism perspective, but Lamichhane noted that fuel-based travel limitations could reduce expected benefits.
“Electric vehicle users may still be able to travel, but those relying on fuel vehicles will face challenges,” he said.
According to the Pokhara tourism stakeholders, domestic tourists account for nearly 40 percent of total tourism activity in the region. However, Lamichhane estimates this figure could be closer to 50 percent nationally.
He believes that if the holiday system is effectively utilized, domestic tourism could increase by at least 10 percent, provided fuel availability is not a constraint.
Bharat Parajuli, a central committee member of the Hotel Association Nepal, also said the tourism sector had long been advocating for a two-day weekend system, which is now partially in place.
He noted that hotel occupancy typically rises to around 50 percent during weekends due to Saturday holidays, and the addition of Sunday could further extend visitor stays.
“Currently, Saturday holidays already push hotel occupancy to around 50 percent. With Sunday added, we expect longer stays,” he said. “But for tourism to fully benefit, fuel supply must remain smooth, and the holiday system should be made consistent.”
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