Indian Tourists Flock to Pokhara Amidst Off-Season Surge

Pokhara. The tourist city of Pokhara is currently bustling with a significant influx of Indian tourists. With increased tourist activity in the Lakeside area, activities ranging from boat rides to trekking have become extremely busy.

Boat operators have reported that over 5,000 tourists took boat rides on Phewa Lake in a single day. The increased movement of boats on the lake throughout the day has boosted the morale of the operators.

Similarly, a notable presence of Indian tourists has been observed in the trekking routes of the Annapurna region and surrounding areas. With the rising number of tourists, most hotels in Pokhara have become fully occupied. Hotel operators are pleased with the full occupancy.

The high volume of Indian tourists has created parking management challenges in Lakeside and other main tourist areas. The increased number of vehicles along the roadsides has also put pressure on traffic management.

Despite it being the monsoon season, considered the 'off-season' in Nepal, there has been a significant presence of Indian tourists. Krishna Prasad Acharya, Chairman of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) Gandaki, described this as a happy and positive sign for Nepal's tourism sector.

Due to rising temperatures and holidays in neighboring India, a large number of Indians are making Nepal their primary destination. The number of visitors coming to visit Muktinath and Pashupatinath, especially for religious reasons, is significant.

"The religious belief that one must visit Muktinath once after being born into Hinduism, and the positive message created by the media in recent times, have led to an increase in tourist arrivals," said Chairman Acharya.

Among the Indian tourists visiting Nepal, the younger generation is particularly attracted to adventure tourism. Acharya informed that there is a large presence of Indian youth in areas like Mardi Himal, Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), and Upper Mustang. According to him, the pressure of tourists on the trekking routes is so high that it is difficult to find rooms even for accommodation during the 'off-season'. While the youth are enjoying trekking and biking, older tourists are focusing on visiting religious sites.

Although the increase in tourist numbers is encouraging, Acharya also drew the attention of stakeholders to some challenges in managing them. He specifically mentioned that tourists traveling in groups by bus often cook and eat by the roadside, creating a scattered scene.

He suggested the construction of rest centers along major tourist and religious routes to manage such tourists. Emphasizing that it is the state's primary responsibility to welcome and manage tourists properly, Chairman Acharya expressed confidence that this would send a positive message about Nepal's tourism sector internationally. He stressed the need to promptly provide the minimum necessary infrastructure and facilities for both religious and adventure tourists.

"If properly managed centers are built in various places for religious tourists, they could systematically cook, bathe, and wash clothes there," he said.

According to Laxman Subedi, Chairman of the Hotel Association Pokhara, the highest number of Indian tourists have entered Nepal this year in the last 32 years. The tourist rush, which began around the Nepali New Year, has continued until the end of Jestha. During this period, the occupancy rate of hotels in Pokhara has reached around 90 percent, the association stated.

Not only in Pokhara, but also in other religious and tourist destinations of Gandaki Province, such as Muktinath and various trekking routes, the number of Indian tourists has been encouraging. According to Chairman Subedi, the increase in Indian tourists this year is due to promotion and the influence of social media. Extensive promotion of Muktinath and other tourist areas of Nepal through social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok since last year has boosted the enthusiasm of Indian tourists to visit Nepal. Indian citizens are choosing Nepal as a suitable and excellent destination to escape the increasing heat in India and make the most of their holidays.

It is also analyzed that the number of tourists has increased because the Indian government, while emphasizing foreign exchange (dollar) reserves, has encouraged its citizens to visit neighboring countries where Indian currency is easily accepted. The youth of India are attracted to Nepal as it is possible to enter Nepal in a single day from border states like Bihar and visit many places in a short period. Especially with the prohibition of alcohol in Bihar, the youth there are coming to Nepal for entertainment.

Due to various concessions provided by the Indian government for senior citizens for pilgrimage, the number of religious tourists visiting Pashupatinath and Muktinath is also significant. Overall, Nepal has become a top choice destination for Indian tourists due to its natural beauty, religious significance, and easy transportation, according to the Hotel Association Pokhara.

The increased tourist activity in the tourist city of Pokhara is due to tourists coming from neighboring India to escape the extreme heat. Local businessmen have felt relief due to a significant increase in the number of Indian tourists, especially those taking boat rides on Phewa Lake.

According to Balram Giri, Chairman of the Phewa Boat Entrepreneurs Committee, there is currently a high influx of Indian tourists in Pokhara. He informed that the number of tourists coming from India to visit Pokhara, take boat rides on Phewa Lake, and visit Muktinath has increased. According to Chairman Giri, currently, 5,000 to 7,000 people are taking boat rides daily from all eight stations of Phewa Lake.

"This large presence of tourists has provided significant financial relief to boat operators, and the activity here is very encouraging," said Giri. Businessmen have experienced an increase in Indian tourist arrivals this year compared to previous years. Due to temperatures reaching 44 to 45 degrees Celsius in various cities of India, its citizens are coming to Nepal in search of a cool and pleasant environment.

Giri stated that tourists arriving in Pokhara are very impressed by the mountain ranges, hilly landscapes, and the environment of Phewa Lake. Businessmen have reported that tourists express happiness upon escaping the extreme heat of India and enjoying the cool weather of Pokhara.