The recent spell of rainfall across five provinces, including Gandaki, has severely affected the tourism business in Pokhara, one of Nepal’s most popular holiday destinations.
Continuous downpours on October 4 and 5 deterred many potential travelers from visiting Pokhara during the Dashain holidays. Following forecasts of heavy rain from the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the government had urged the public to avoid non-essential travel. Public vehicle operations were also temporarily suspended to prevent possible accidents.
According to Laxman Subedi, President of the Hotel Association of Nepal, Pokhara, hotel occupancy rates this Dashain dropped sharply compared to last year. “During last year’s Dashain, hotel occupancy in Pokhara was around 80 percent. This year, it barely reached 30 percent,” he said.
Subedi added that Pokhara usually sees a surge in visitors right after the Dashain Tika, with families from across the country traveling for leisure until Kojagrat Purnima, the festival’s concluding day.
“In previous years, it was almost impossible to find a hotel room during Kojagrat Purnima. This year, however, hotel occupancy remained minimal due to the continuous rainfall,” he shared.
Local tourism entrepreneurs have expressed concern that the reduced visitor numbers during Dashain - traditionally the busiest time of the year - could affect business recovery and earnings for the upcoming autumn season.
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