Tourist arrivals have increased significantly in Nepal’s tourism capital, Pokhara, in recent days, driven by the long Dashain holiday and the ongoing peak tourist season. The favourable autumn weather has further encouraged both domestic and international visitors to explore Pokhara and surrounding destinations, bringing increased activity to hotels, restaurants, and tourism businesses across the city due to the Dashain Holiday.
Hotel Occupancy Rises with Growing Tourist Arrivals
According to Laxman Subedi, Chairman of the Hotel Association Pokhara, hotel occupancy in the city has reached around 75 percent following the rise in tourist arrivals during the Dashain holiday. He said tourist movement in Pokhara began increasing from the day after Dashain and has remained strong as travellers take advantage of the extended holiday period.
Subedi said the current weather is also highly favourable for visiting Pokhara and nearby tourist destinations. The combination of pleasant autumn weather, the long Dashain break and the ongoing peak tourism season has contributed to the increased movement of visitors in the city.
Annapurna Trekking Adds to Tourist Footfall due to the Dashain Holiday
The arrival of international trekkers heading toward the Annapurna region has also contributed to the increased tourist activity in Pokhara. Many foreign trekkers spend several days in the city before or after beginning their trekking journeys, resulting in particularly high visitor movement in the Lakeside area during the autumn season.
The months of October and November are widely considered among the best periods for trekking in the Annapurna region because of generally favourable weather and mountain visibility. According to Dr. Rabin Kadariya, Chief of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, around 40 percent of foreign tourists visiting Pokhara travel onward to trekking destinations in the Annapurna region.
Domestic Trekkers Also Increase After Dashain
The number of domestic tourists heading toward trekking destinations has also increased following the Dashain holiday. Dr. Kadariya said the autumn season is considered ideal for trekking, and the extended Dashain holiday has encouraged many Nepali travellers to plan trips to mountain destinations.
The combination of favourable trekking conditions and extended holidays has resulted in increased movement along the major trekking routes connected to the Annapurna region. The trend has benefited not only trekking operators but also hotels, restaurants, transportation providers and other tourism businesses in Pokhara.
Annapurna Region Offers Diverse Trekking Destinations
The Annapurna Circuit and surrounding trekking areas encompass a wide range of destinations, including Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal, Ghandruk, Tilicho Lake in Manang, Thorong La Pass, Upper Mustang, the Muktinath area and Ghorepani in Myagdi. The Annapurna Conservation Area, which extends across five districts including Kaski, has remained one of Nepal’s most popular destinations for domestic and international tourists.
Pokhara serves as a major gateway to many of these destinations, with a large proportion of tourists travelling through the city before heading into the mountains. The city therefore experiences increased tourist activity during the peak trekking seasons as visitors use Pokhara as both a starting point and a base for exploring the wider Annapurna region.
Pokhara Sees Strong Seasonal Tourism Activity due to the Dashain Holiday
While many visitors use Pokhara as a gateway to the Annapurna region, the city itself continues to attract domestic and international tourists seeking leisure, adventure, and short holidays. Popular attractions around the city, combined with favourable autumn conditions, have made Pokhara a major choice for travellers during the Dashain break.
With the peak tourism season underway, tourism entrepreneurs in Pokhara are expecting visitor numbers to remain strong in the coming weeks. The increased occupancy of hotels and growing movement of trekkers indicate a positive start to the autumn tourism season in the tourism capital.
