Four new paragliding firms start operations in Pokhara

POKHARA, Nov 1: Breaking free from years of stagnancy in the tourism business and with a line-up of high-end new facilities ready for visiting tourists, lately tourism scene in Pokhara has picked up fresh dynamism. In the latest addition to its tourism bouquet, four new paragliding companies have started operations last month in Pokhara.



According to Nepal Airsport Association (NAA), the four companies, which recently came into operation, include Teamfive, Everest, Phoenix and New Paraworld. [break]



With addition of these new players, the number of Pokhara-based paragliding companies has reached 14. September to April is considered to be peak season for paragliding.



Phoenix and New Paraworld have started operations in the last two weeks whereas Teamfive and Everest started off last month.



The new companies are bullish on increasing number of domestic as well as foreign paragliders and they don´t mind bringing in investments for new properties aimed at tourists, said NAA president Rajesh Bamjan. “At present, we are operating 80 flights daily and this fact has contributed a great deal to new investments in this sector,” he revealed.



Paragliding operators attribute the rise in their business to the increasing number of tourists visiting the country in the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011. “The competition among operators is now going to get tougher while more paragliding companies are also in the process of registration,” Bamjan said.



According to entrepreneurs, a company should invest at least Rs 4 million to start a paragliding company. “An investment of over 15 million has been added to this sector after the four new companies began operations,” he said.







Owner of New Paraworld Deepak Gurung said he made the investment after realizing that the tourism sector is now more secured and on a surer footing. Gurung said he made an investment of Rs 5 million and hired four foreign pilots to begin the operations.



Punam Bamjan, owner of Phoenix paragliding, said she started the company with six pilots and an investment of Rs 6 million. “The competition is already there but we are hopeful to do a good business if the growth in the number of tourists continues,” she said.



A new paragliding company needs permission from the tourism ministry and Air Operation Certificate (AOC) from Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).



Pokhara-based paragliding companies have also started offering commercial paragliding from Banidpur. A tourist flying from Sarangkot hill fly at the height of 2,000 metre enjoying the views of Machhapucchre and Annapurna range and land by the side of Fewa Lake. Operators charge on half-hourly and hourly basis.

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