POKHARA: The tourism scene in Pokhara swayed between on-season and off-season until a decade ago wherein March, April, May, October, November and December were considered to be peak seasons while the rest of the months witnessed a slack in terms of incoming tourists in the lake-city.

However, of late, the influx of tourists has remained untouched by the set definition of peak and slow seasons, further encouraging travel and tourism entrepreneurs here.

Keeping the current trend in mind, tourism entrepreneurs are looking to project and establish Pokhara as a sought after destination for celebrating Christmas and New-Year. In the same line, preparations are currently underway for organising Pokhara street festival here in the city.

The 20th Pokhara Street Festival, which was known as REBAN Street Festival up until 2007, is being held from December 28 to January 1, 2019 at Lakeside, organised by Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN).

REBAN Pokhara along with a team of tourism entrepreneurs have been engaged in preparations for the festival while also establishing Pokhara, Lumbini and Chitwan as the ‘Silver Triangle’. It must be noted that these three districts hold major attraction points for internal as well as foreign tourists.

According to former President of REBAN Pokhara, Surya Bahadur Bhujel, the street festival also aims at marketing Pokhara as a destination for celebrating New Year, somewhat reflecting Goa’s current image as a popular New Year destination.

The event will be celebrated as Nepal Carnival in the days to come, added Bhujel. According to him, the Gandaki Province government is also a patron for this event.

The festival will be held along a stretch of 3.5kms of street in Lakeside, said President of REBAN Pokharam Budharaj Bhujel.

At the event, cultural shows from Nepal along with Japan, South Korea, China and India will be exhibited along with cuisine representing various countries from across the globe at over 150 different stalls.

There will also be fun events such as boat-race, tourist-race, and concerts, among others at the 20th street festival in the city.

Around seven hundred thousand guests, including locals and tourists   – both internal and foreign – are expected to attend the five-day event.