Sauraha, Pokhara announce different programs to woo domestic tourists

Tourism entrepreneurs of two major tourist destinations -- Chitwan and Pokhara -- are organizing different programs on the occasion of Christmas and New Year to attract domestic tourists.

They have been organizing various programs coinciding with Christmas and New Year on a regular basis for the past many years to attract domestic tourists and retain foreign tourists, who normally go back to their respective countries, for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Regional Hotel Association Nepal (RHAN) Chitwan is organizing 12th edition of Chitwan Elephant Festival in Sauraha from December 26 to 30 and Pokhara Chapter of Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) is organizing 17th Pokhara Street Festival in Lakeside, Pokhara, from December 28 to January 1.

Hotels in Sauraha are offering attractive packages and discount offers during the festival. “Hotels associated with RHAN Chitwan are providing 20 percent discount on room tariffs,” said Suman Ghimire, coordinator of the festival, said.

According to Ghimire, tourists visiting Chitwan can get rooms at around Rs 1,300.

Similarly, tourism entrepreneurs are organizing International Elephant Walk this year instead of Elephant Race. “The event is being organized for more than a decade to protect Asian elephants, promote elephant-based safari, and cultural tourism in Chitwan,” Ghimire said. “We will make sure that there is no room for animal abuse.”

The major attraction of the festival will be elephant picnic. On this day, elephants will be given a day off and offered different fruits and vegetables. Elephant Picnic was started from last year.

“We don't have much expectation this year, as tourism is already down due to the ongoing crisis. We, however, are hopeful that many people from Kathmandu Valley will visit Sauraha to celebrate Christmas and New Year as hotels and restaurants there are not providing full menu because of shortage of LP gas,” said Ghimire.

Various programs like football competition of elephant calves, elephant beauty contest, boat race, tanga race and bullock race are the other attractions of the event.

Similarly, tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara are providing attractive discounts on food and room tariff during the street festival. Local hotels have already announced 30 percent discount on room tariff, while restaurants are providing 15 perent discount on total bill.

“We have been organizing the street festival every year to promote Pokhara as a New Year destination for Nepalis. As tourism is down this year, we are ready to welcome both domestic and foreign tourists during New Year,” said Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai, president of REBAN Pokhara, said.

The festival is organized on a three-kilometer stretch of Lakeside -- from Khahare to Shahid Chowk.

According to tourism entrepreneurs, domestic tourists constitute 35 percent of the total tourists visiting Pokhara.

“We are trying to increase the share of domestic tourists so that the industry can sustain even if arrival of foreign tourists is affected,” Ganesh Bahadur Bhattarai, former board member of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said, adding that the festival was started in a bid to promote domestic tourism.

source:republica,17 dec 2015