Pokhara hotels set to offer 20% discount in Nepali New Year

By Our Correspondent,Kaski, Apr. 19: Hotels in Pokhara are set to offer a 20 per cent discount on room rates for tourists visiting the lake city during the Nepali New Year 2082 celebrations. The Hotel Association of Pokhara has announced this special offer, which will be available throughout the duration of the festival.

The Nepali New Year falls on 14 April. 

According to Laxman Subedi, President of the Hotel Association, the discount is part of the 20th Fewa New Year Festival 2081, aimed at promoting Nepali culture, cuisine, along with domestic and international tourism. The festival, scheduled to take place on 12-14 April along the banks of Fewa Lake, will showcase traditional Nepali food, cultural performances, and tourism promotion activities to encourage longer stays of visitors.

With Nepal’s economy facing a slowdown, the festival is expected to boost economic activity by attracting more tourists. To further promote the event, the Hotel Association recently completed the 'Jau Hai Pokhara' (Let’s Go to Pokhara) campaign in eastern Nepal and is planning to launch a similar campaign in western Nepal soon. 

As part of this initiative, special tourism packages such as 'Ghumgham Pokhara' (Stroll Around Pokhara), 'Educational Tour Pokhara', and 'Honeymoon Pokhara' have also been introduced.

Currently, the occupancy rate in Pokhara’s hotels stands at around 40 per cent, with a significant number of Indian tourists among the visitors. 

Pokhara’s hotels have a total capacity of 40,000 tourists while the investment in the local hotel industry is estimated at Rs. 500 billion. With Pokhara Metropolitan City declaring 2025 as Visit Pokhara Year, the number of both domestic and Indian tourists has seen a steady rise.

The festival will cover a 3-kilometre stretch from Damside to Khahare, along the Fewa Lake shoreline. A total of 21 committees have been formed to organise the event which will feature various cultural programs, folk music performances, sports events, a tourist marathon, pop concerts, and exhibitions of agricultural and handicraft products.

The estimated budget for the festival is Rs. 5 million. Entry will be free for all visitors.