Foreign tourists spend USD 50 a day in Pokhara: Study

POKHARA, April 5: Foreign tourists spend a maximum of US$ 50 per day in Pokhara, a survey commissioned by Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC) also showed that foreign tourists live in Pokhara

Local tourism entrepreneurs have attributed low tourist spending to lack of new tourism products and services in the city famous for lakes and mountain views.
A whopping 62 percent of the tourists that participated in the survey said that they spend only around $50 per day.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Som Bahadur Thapa, chairman of PTC, tourists were spending less in Pokhara as the city lacks new tourism products and services. "We can extend their length of stay as well as increase their spending by adding new tourism products and services," Thapa. "Tourists are willing, but they are not getting places and facilities where they could spend. This does not bode well for the industry."

Thapa said there is a need to devise new tourism products and services to make people spend more money in the lake city. "So far, we have been selling only Fewa Lake and mountains to tourists. It is high time we exploited tourism potentials of Pokhara and surrounding areas to the fullest," he added.

Average daily spending by foreign tourists in Pokhara was $39 last year, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

"Though tourist spending has increased slightly, it is insufficient," Tikaram Sapkota, former board member of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said. "We need to add more entertaining and fun-filled activities to make tourists spend more. Likewise, tourism entrepreneurs should also enhance their service quality."

According to the survey, 81 percent of the respondents said they could not spend as much as they had planned as tourism products and services in Pokhara were cheaper. Similarly, 58 percent of the respondents said their length of stay in Pokhara is less than five days.

"Though length of stay has increased slightly due to trekking activities, it is still insufficient," said Sapkota.

Local tourism entrepreneurs said tourist's length of stay and spending can be increased by building zoo, exploring new hiking routes, building cycling trails, horse riding trails, and foot path around Fewa Lake.

Similarly, 35 percent of tourists, who participated in the survey, said they would love to visit Pokhara again.

Gobinda Raj Pahari, western regional coordinator of National Tourism Promotion Committee, stressed the need to create tourism-friendly environment and introduce new tourism products to extend tourists' length of stay and spending.

source:republica, 5 april 2016