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POKHARA, Jan 1: With the arrival of the English New Year and the farewell to the old year, cities and tourist destinations across Nepal have seen a sharp rise in both domestic and foreign visitors. Tourism entrepreneurs say destinations ranging from urban centers to Himalayan trekking routes are crowded, driven by New Year celebrations and related events. The inflow of domestic and Indian tourists in particular has been encouraging this season.
Tourist hub Pokhara is currently bustling with domestic and Indian visitors. Hotels in Lakeside are fully booked due to the Pokhara Street Festival organized to mark the New Year. Tourism entrepreneurs say hotels have no shortage of guests for at least a week. Restaurants and hotels are packed with visitors enjoying food and festivities, helping boost local economic activity.
Not only Pokhara, but other major tourist destinations are also seeing a surge in visitors. Rural tourism areas around Pokhara have become equally crowded. Popular destinations such as Ghandruk in Kaski, Bandipur in Tanahun, and Sauraha in Chitwan are reporting full hotel occupancy due to the New Year rush.
Tourism entrepreneurs say domestic tourists have also reached destinations like the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). Nearby villages such as Dhampus are likewise filled with visitors. According to Dilip Gurung, who runs a business at Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC) along the ABC trail, hotels in Ghandruk, Chhomrong and the base camp areas are currently full.
“This time, since Christmas itself, we have been seeing crowds similar to the peak season. The flow of tourists in the Annapurna region has been very good,” he said. “Even during what is usually the off-season, it feels like peak season.”
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Although the main tourist season had ended some time ago, Gurung said the arrival of domestic and Indian tourists has kept activity high. Due to the increased number of visitors, businesses have hired more staff compared to previous years, when fewer tourists visited during this period.
“Tourism in the Annapurna region is operating at almost full capacity right now,” he said. “Since Christmas, Nepali, Indian and even Chinese tourists have been arriving. The presence of young travelers has made tourist villages lively and busy.”
Despite the cold, the absence of snowfall has made travel to high-altitude destinations easier. “Reaching the base camp is quite smooth at the moment. There are no obstructions along the route,” he said. “Even though it’s cold, travel is not difficult, and the weather has been supportive. Compared to previous years, arrivals are better than expected.”
Entrepreneurs in Bandipur, Tanahun, have also reported a strong flow of visitors. Bandipur Tourism Year coordinator and tourism entrepreneur Bais Gurung said tourist arrivals this season have exceeded expectations.
“On Tuesday evening, a Kaura cultural festival was organized in Bandipur, which attracted a large number of visitors at once. Besides that, tourists visiting for leisure have also increased overall activity,” he said.
According to him, during the 2025 Bandipur Tourism Year, the target was to provide accommodation to at least 200,000 visitors and attract around 300,000 tourists overall. However, the actual number has surpassed those targets.
“At least 300,000 tourists stayed overnight in Bandipur over the year, and around 800,000 visited the area,” he said. “Domestic tourists have also come in large numbers. Hotels are currently full, and bookings for the coming days are also strong.”
Similarly, tourism entrepreneurs in Pokhara say visitor arrivals remain highly encouraging. According to Gopi Bhattarai, coordinator of Pokhara Tourism Year 2025, the number of tourists currently in Pokhara is significantly high.
“Almost all small and large hotels are full at this time. Tourist arrivals are very encouraging,” he said. “Domestic tourists are coming in large numbers, and the inflow of Indian tourists is also strong.”
Bhattarai added that the ongoing street festival in Lakeside has further energized tourism in Pokhara. Activities in the city have also had a positive spillover effect on nearby tourist villages.
“This year, tourist arrivals have been much higher compared to previous years. Both domestic and Indian tourists have arrived in large numbers. At this moment, almost all hotels have guests,” he said.
According to tourism entrepreneurs, hotel occupancy in Lakeside is around 90 percent, with several popular hotels fully booked. On Tuesday, the main Lakeside road was crowded with visitors. Tourists from Pokhara itself as well as from nearby districts, Kathmandu, Butwal, and Chitwan have arrived in large numbers.
“Hotel occupancy is around 90 percent, and some popular hotels are operating at full capacity. Tourism has become vibrant again,” Bhattarai said. “Earlier, crowds were mostly limited to New Year’s Eve, but this time, visitors are spread out across several days, making destinations busy throughout.”
