During the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) trek, the number of tourists visiting has fluctuated due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2079/080, a total of 1,72,185 tourists visited the Annapurna region, including trekking, as reported by Information Officer Rabin Kadiyala. In the previous fiscal year 2075/076, there were 1,83,357 tourists who undertook the trek.
In 2075/076, the highest number of tourists, 1,83,358, embarked on the trek to the Annapurna region. However, due to the spread of the COVID-19 infection globally, the number of tourists declined, and only 1,04,165 trekkers visited in 2076/077.
As the control of COVID-19 improved, the number of tourists started to rise again, reaching 4,916 in 2077/078. Subsequently, in 2078/079, 75,824 tourists explored the Annapurna region.
In the fiscal year 2079/080, the Annapurna Conservation Area welcomed 29,943,900 NPR in revenue, including trekking fees, as revealed by Information Officer Kadiyala. However, it is uncertain how many tourists came to Gandaki Province, excluding the data from ACAP and Pokhara Airport, as the records for tourists coming to the province after combating COVID-19 were not maintained.
The establishment of an international airport in Pokhara has boosted confidence that the arrival of tourists will increase. Pokhara Hotel Association’s President, Lakshman Suvedi, mentioned that hotel investments in the past five years have exceeded 1.45 billion NPR.
Suvedi also stated that there are around 425 registered hotels in Pokhara. Besides, there are nearly 300 other hotels that have not been officially registered.
According to the Chairman of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Pom Narayan Shrestha, the tourism sector in Pokhara, renowned for its restaurants and adventurous activities such as paragliding, bungee jumping, zip-lining, ultralights, rafting, and kayaking, has made substantial investments. However, the increasing investment in the tourism sector comes with risks as it heavily relies on the number of tourists and their length of stay.
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