POKHARA, SEPTEMBER 27

Tourism industry has shown signs of revival after six months of the COVID-19 induced lockdown was relaxed in Pokhara.

Mardi Himal Trek has witnessed mobility of tourists. Number of domestic tourists along the trekking route is on the rise, according to Raju Poudel, owner of Hotel Snowland and Spa at Mardi Himal high camp. “More than 100 foreign and domestic tourists would visit the area in the past on a daily basis. Now there is no favourable situation for foreign tourists to visit Pokhara due to the pandemic. Therefore, we have prioritised domestic tourism,” he said.

The government had announced ‘Visit Nepal Year, 2020’, which aimed to bring in two million tourists.

Other tourism activities have also started in the scenic city. Paragliding, bungee jumping and zip line have resumed after a break of six months. Chairperson of Nepal Airports Association Krishna Bhandari said paragliding had resumed after six months.

Discussions with pilots and companies were underway to follow health safety like the use of masks and sanitisers while flying a paraglider, he said.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 28, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.