Bluesky, Sahara, Loyal, Rainbow Safari and Satyam Travels have added two buses each while Benchmark and Adventure have increased a bus each on the route to ensure a comfortable journey for tourists during the peak season.[break]
"We added 14 new buses on the route keeping in view the increasing number of domestic as well as foreign tourists visiting Pokhara," Kedar Sharma, president of Pokhara Chapter of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travels Agents (NATTA), said.
The travel agencies made fresh investment of Rs 85 million to procure the buses equipped with modern facilities. The new buses have 35 seats each.
"The new buses, which cost an average of Rs 6 million each, have extra facilities like in-built torch light and seat belt,” added Sharma.
Around three dozen tourist buses ply on Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu route, serving around 1,000 tourists a day.
Tourism entrepreneurs in Pokhara also have plans to expand tourist bus services on other routes like Pokhara-Butwal, Pokhara-Chitwan and Pokhara-Lumbini.
“But our plans will materialize only if unfair practices in the market are ended,” Sharma said, hinting at the transporters syndicate. “Consumers can get better services only in a competitive market.”
Damodar Dahal, operator of Rainbow Safari, said he added new buses after witnessing substantial rise in the number of tourists visiting the lake city. “It´s our responsibility to provide better facilities to our customers. I am hopeful that the additional facilities in the new buses will make tourists happier," he added.
According to Sharma, the injection of new investment in tourist buses has come as part of the association´s plan to phase out buses that have operated on the route for more than five years.
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