Tourism entrepreneurs say that Pokhara is losing quality guests

POKHARA, Jan 14: The Gandaki Province government has studied the feasibility of declaring Pokhara as the country’s tourism capital. A study committee formed by the provincial government while submitting its report also suggested declaring Pokhara as the tourism capital by mid-February.

While the government is preparing to make Pokhara the tourism capital, hotels with big investments have not been added here for a long time. So far, only one of the two five-star hotels here has been renovated. Pokhara's Fulbari Resort and Spa is not on the list of five-star hotels recently published by the Department of Tourism (DoT). The Fulbari Resort and Spa still needs to be renovated.

Pokhara Grande is the only five-star hotel in Pokhara, according to the list of the DoT. Fulbari Resort and Spa has been out of operation for a long time. The large infrastructure of the Fulbari Resort is in a state of disrepair. There are two (five-star deluxe and five-star) from Jhapa in the DoT's list. Similarly, five stars include 10 in Kathmandu, 1 in Bara, 2 in Banke, and only one in Rupandehi. Only 17 five-star deluxe and five-star hotels have been renovated, according to the  DoT list. Hotels should be renovated every five years.

Bharat Raj Parajuli, a central member of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), says that the number of five-star hotels in a tourist city like Pokhara is considered weak in terms of tourism. Parajuli said that the five-star hotels will be an important asset and landmark for the tourism capital. He said that five-star hotels make the identity of any tourism capital.

According to him, Barahi Sedi five-star hotel is currently under construction in Pokhara. However, as it is under construction, it will take some time for Barahi Sedi to become operational. He said that while preparations are being made to make Pokhara Nepal’s tourism capital, the number of five-star hotels is not increasing there. “Infrastructure is very important for tourism. Also, five-star hotels are the identity of any tourism capital. In a tourism capital like Pokhara, the number of five-star hotels should not be limited to just one," he said. "There are many four-star and three-star hotels. There is a shortage of five-star hotels. Five-star hotels are necessary for quality tourism,” he added.

Parajuli said that if the tourism sector can move at the speed of 2020, there is a possibility of adding five-star hotels, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that situation has weakened. Investment insecurity was seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism entrepreneurs who showed interest in the hotel industry also hesitated. Many businessmen were trying to invest in hotels before the pandemic. However, the number of businessmen who were willing to invest did not increase as the pandemic has raised doubts about the security of investments, he said.

According to him, there should be chain hotels under the five-star hotels in tourist cities. The place which has a five-star hotel is considered to be developed as a tourist city. It should also have a chain hotel. A five-star hotel increases the confidence of guests. As a city that foreigners believe in, five-star hotels are the infrastructure there. Five-star hotels are also a basis for bringing in quality tourists," he said. "It's not that there is no investment in hotels, but there is no investment for five-star hotels. Investments in medium-level hotels have increased.”

According to Tikaram Sapkota, a former member of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), more than Rs 5 billion has been invested in the tourism sector in Gandaki Province. He said that the investment is increasing every year. Sapkota is also a member of the task force formed by the Gandaki Province government to study the tourism sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, based on the study till 2020, the investment in the tourism sector of Gandaki Province is estimated to be Rs 5 billion. About 10,600 businesses are involved in the tourism sector of Gandaki Province alone. According to Sapkota, there is more investment from the private sector. There are about 700 tourist-level hotels in Gandaki province. He also said that these hotels have a total accommodation capacity of 40,000 beds.

According to him, large-sized hotels are also needed for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism. Pokhara should have at least five five-star hotels for quality and MICE tourism, but there is only one operational at present. He said that Fulbari Resort and Spa, which was popular until a few years ago, is closed.

He believes that because the government's policies and regulations are not friendly to the private sector, investment in five-star hotels may not have come in. "There is a need to create a policy to encourage investment, but the government could not do that," he said. Quality tourists have not arrived. The more five stars are established, the wider the tourist identity of that city becomes.” He said that a five-star hotel is a must in a city with tourism potential. The government has not been able to attract investment. Investors are also afraid of government policies. There should be at least five five-star hotels in Pokhara," he said.

Dr Krishna Chandra Devkota, vice chairman at Gandaki Province Policy and Planning Commission, said that during the study of making Pokhara a tourism capital, 20 indicators were identified and physical infrastructure was one of them. He said that a five-star hotel will also be included in the physical infrastructure.

He said that other five-star-oriented hotels should be facilitated to get five-star recognition. He said that the five-star hotel was not recognized, but the hotel in that city should be converted into a five-star hotel and the government should facilitate it. "If there is a five-star hotel in any tourist city, then there will be the branding of that city," he said, "for the guests who come because of the five-star, those infrastructures are not important. Not having a five-star hotel does not mean that guests will not come. However, now the only five-star hotel in Pokhara is not enough.” He said that while preparing the second five-year plan, the provincial government of Gandaki drew the attention of the provincial government to increase the number of five-star hotels.

Pom Narayan Shrestha, chairman of Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC), says that a five-star hotel will be added soon. “Since Pokhara is a tourist city, it seems that investment can come in the near future. So far, there is only one five-star hotel," Shrestha said. He stated, "The means of branding is five-star hotels. However, hotels in Pokhara already provide services similar to five stars. So, it does not mean that the guests will not get quality services.”

 
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