Pokhara witnesses boom in hotel industry

Pokhara: With increasing investments in the tourism sector, Pokhara has lately seen a rise in the number of hotels. In the fiscal year 2012-13, nineteen new hotels have been built in Pokhara, according tourism entrepreneurs. With each hotel built at the cost ranging from Rs 5 million to Rs 9 million, a total of Rs 200 million has been invested in Pokhara. Now there are around 300 hotels in Pokhara.

“The flow of tourists in Pokhara has been increasing every year. This is the main reason why investors are spending money on hotels,” said a hotel entrepreneur Rijan Rijal. He is the owner of the under construction Eco Resort. “The resort will have everything for the tourists,” said Rijal. The resort will have a total of 31rooms.

“During the peak season, finding a hotel room is a harrowing experience. With the opening up of new hotels, tourists will not face this problem anymore,” said Rijal.
Talking to Republica, Vice President of the Western Regional Hotel Association Nepal Bharat Raj Parajuli informed that at least 15 new hotels are being built in Pokhara every year.

“Unlike the past, most of the banks are willing to offer loans to tourism entrepreneurs. This has encouraged many locals in this sector,” said Parajuli.
Likewise, Chairperson of Pokhara Tourism Council Surya Bahadur Bhujel said many people are willing to invest in the tourism sector.

source: republica,17 August 2013
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384,436 people climbed Mt Everest till 2012

Altogether 384,436 summiteers have successfully climbed Mount Everest till December 2012 since Tenzing Norgey Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary climbed it for the first time in May 29, 1953, a government´s publication stated.

The latest version of ´Mountaineering in Nepal Facts & Figures´ published by Tourism Industry Division under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation states among 384, 436 summiteers, 220 of them are female. A total of 35 different types of world record have been made in the highest peak in the world till date.

In case of the mountains above 8,000m, a total of 844 summiteers have successfully climbed Mount Manaslu since it was first ascended on May 9, 1956. Mount Manaslu has received highest number of summiteers after Mount Everest.

Likewise, 497 people have climbed Mount Lhotse since May 18, 1956. Similarly, 451 people have scaled Mount Dhaulagiri since May 13, 1960, and 376 people have climbed Mount Makalu since May 15, 1955.

Similarly, 296 people have reached Mount Kanchenjunga since it was conquered back on May 25, 1955. Altogether 221 people have climbed Mount Annapurna I, 53 summiteers have scaled Mount Yalung Kung since May 14 , 1973 and only 14 people have scaled Mount cho-Oyu since Februaray 12, 1984.

Till December 2012, the government of Nepal has opened 326 snow covered peaks for climbing since it was first open to international climbers in 1949, and it has identified 102 unclimbed peaks.

source: republica,17 Aug 2013