Source::Rss
With the inauguration of Pokhara International Airport on the first day of English New Year 2023, i.e. 17th Poush, by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', the dream of the people living in Pokhara has been fulfilled after four and a half decades. With the opening of the airport, Pokhara's tourism business leaders are very excited.
Once the airport comes into operation, it will help to increase the arrival of Indian religious tourists in Pokhara. It will have a positive impact on tourism in Gandaki province and Nepal as a whole, including the economic and social sectors of the nation. The construction of an international airport is only possible with the solidarity of residents of Pokhara with the aim of development.
On the international side, Buddha Air has taken the initiative to fly from Pokhara to three different destinations in India and other airlines have also shown interest in flying from Pokhara, where the government needs to pay special attention.
The tourism sector of Pokhara will benefit with the operation of the airport. The international airport has been put into operation. The air route will now connect Pokhara with the world. Along with this, more infrastructure is needed for sustainable tourism.
Since Pokhara is an excellent destination for tourists, now foreign tourists will come directly to Pokhara to enjoy the view of the mountain range and the clean environment. He expressed the hope that it will be further developed as an attractive destination. Foreigners used to think of Pokhara when they heard the name, Nepal. Now, the way to visit Pokhara directly by air has opened and the Pokhara's tourism will definitely rise.
The government should develop infrastructure with consideration to the greater inflow of tourists. Now, Majhikuna of Lekhnath is becoming an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists, but the road infrastructure leading to it has not been built. It may be difficult for tourists who had visited it once to go again. So, it is necessary to give priority to the road construction. Lekhnath will now be the choice of tourists because there will be no traffic jams and it will be easier to go to the airport from Lekhnath.
Lekhnath will become an excellent tourist destination in the future due to its religious, cultural, natural, literary and historical aspects. The project of national pride was to develop an airport that the country can be proud of by operating the international airport effectively and conveying a positive message.
The airport was built at a cost of Rs 22 billion with 75% loan and 25% subsidy from China's Exim Bank. The airport has been built on an area of about 3,700 ropani.
“I am very happy when the common dream of Pokhara International Airport was fulfilled. In the year 2032, the Regional Commissioner Dr. Shankarraj Pathak envisioned an international airport in Pokhara. With this initiative, land acquisition was possible at that time. After continuous efforts, today Pokhrelis' dream has been fulfilled", said Vasu Tripathi, a former executive member of the Nepal Tourism Board and a leading tourism businessman.
“It is a matter of pride that the national pride project was completed and inaugurated so quickly, and I am confident that Pokhara's tourism will gain momentum now. The construction of an airport in Pokhara should not be based on immediate profit/loss, the future debate should be focused on how to gain long-term benefits for the economic development here", said Pomnarayan Shrestha, the chairman of the Pokhara Tourism Council.
“I am hopeful that Lekhnath's tourism would be promoted and developed with the operation of the international airport. With the new airport, the distance from Lekhnath to Begnas is only 10 km. It will definitely increase the tourist activity in Lekhnath," said Damodar Bhakta Thapa, the former president of Lekhnath Hotel and Restaurant Association.
“The formal operation of the airport has brought more happiness to Pokharelis with the arrival of the New Year. It was not made with little effort and struggle. It was succeeded here by Pokhrelis' continuous and common determination towards development," said Naresh Bhattarai, the president of the Restaurant and Bar Association, Pokhara.
“If the challenges that may arise in the operation of the airport are managed from the beginning, it will be established as a successful airport. The government should focus on increasing tourism activities by creating more strategic action plans with the participation of the private sector for sustainable tourism development,” he expressed his belief._Rss
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