They have announced 15 to 50 percent discount on hotels and lodges room tariff, tourist bus tickets, trekking packages and adventure activities, among others.
Paschimanchal Hotel Association Pokhara (PHAP) has decided to offer 50 percent discount on roof tariff of its member hotels, lodges and guesthouses. Likewise, tourism entrepreneurs have decided to offer 20 percent discount on restaurants, 30 percent on trekking packages, 20 percent on tourist bus fare, 20 percent in bus reserve fee, and 20 percent on apparels and trekking gears.Similarly, adventure sports operators have announced 15 percent discount on paragliding and ultra light flights, 50 percent on bungee jump and zip flyer, and 20 percent discount on trekking guide fee.
The discount is applicable for domestic as well as foreign tourists and is valid till September 30.
Bharat Raj Parajuli, president of PHAP, said they have announced 50 percent discount on roof tariff as hotel occupancy has dropped to almost zero after the earthquake. "All our member hotels will have to provide discount as announced by the association. We have also requested other hotels to provide discount," he added.
Even though the earthquake has not caused any destruction in Pokhara, tourism entrepreneurs came up with the discount package to bring tourists to the lake city and spread the message that tourism is still alive in Nepal.
"We will strictly monitor the hotels and take serious action if any hotel is found not provide discount as announced by us," added Parajuli.
Biplav Paudel, member of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said local hoteliers had to announce discount offer to increase flow of tourists as occupancy of Pokhara hotels have dropped to as low as 2 percent. "We are hopeful that the discount offer will help to bring more tourists to the lake city," Paudel said, adding that they will promote the packages within the country, India and in China as well.
Entrepreneurs say the discounted tariff will help them keep the business running rather than generate profit. "Though this season has been spoilt by the earthquake, we have announced the package so that we can welcome tourists for the upcoming season," Ganesh Bahadur Bhattarai, coordinator of Pokhara Tourism Recovery Council (PTRC), said. "As discounts have been given offered on food, lodging and all types of tourist activities, we are hopeful of bringing tourists to Kathmandu."
According to entrepreneurs, around 400,000 foreign tourists visit Pokhara annually. Equal number of domestic tourists is estimated to visit the lake city annually.
Basu Tripathi, coordinator of Tourism Promotion Sub-committee under PTRC, said discount offer has been introduced to keep tourism business running. "Closure of tourism businesses will relay negative message," he said, adding, "We are hopeful that we would be able to attract tourists as they can enjoy tourism products and services of Pokhara at half of the cost of normal days."
Tikaram Sapkota, media coordinator of PTRC, said tourism entrepreneurs had not announced such attractive discounts even during Maoist insurgency.
Meanwhile, Pokhara hotels have started reducing number of staff on sending them on unpaid leave to manage their operating costs.
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