At a program organized to collect their suggestions for the upcoming budget, entrepreneurs here also demanded that the government devise special programs to recognize the city as the second largest market and commercial hub of the country. [break]
They asked the government to give high priority to construction of a regional airport. They also proposed inclusion of new programs like construction of a separate bus park for tourist vehicles, conservation of Phewa Lake, soft loans for tourism entrepreneurs and an end to power shortages.
“The construction of a regional airport at Chhinedanda of Pokhara should be stepped up with special priority,” said Man Kaji Makaju, president of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Expressing dissatisfaction over the slow pace of airport development even though the government had acquired land for the purpose some 34 years ago, entrepreneurs said its construction will foster rapid tourism development of the city and the country as a whole.
Entrepreneurs also demanded that the government give focus to conservation and to cleaning and management of Phewa Lake, which is one of the key attractions of the city.
At present, the local administration in conjunction with local tourism entrepreneurs are working to widen the lake and maintain it properly. With the government´s support, they said the conservation efforts will gain new momentum.
Entrepreneurs tagged the lack of a bus park for vehicles ferrying tourists as another major constraint for the city. Hundreds of tourist vehicles currently operate between Pokhara, Kathmandu and other cities. However, the operators said lack of parking space has long inconvenienced them as well as the visitors.
They also proposed that the government develop the Seti River as a new tourism site in the city. Entrepreneurs complained that the government was not providing facilities to the tourism sector and demanded concessional loans and support to fight off power shortages.
Meanwhile, Michael Karmacharya, second vice-president of PCCI, asked the government to lay down infrastructure and develop Pokhara as a movie shooting destination. A large number of Nepali movies are shot in the city, which has also lured Indian producers of late.
With the development of infrastructure and other support, Karmacharya argued, the city can become one of the popular movie shooting sites of the region. Among other things, he also asked the government to lower the income tax rates.
Finance Secretary Rameshwor Khanal, among others, had also attended the program.
Related story
Six women tourism entrepreneurs honored by Paletee's Holiday
-1200x560-1771928761.webp)
