Since March, one of Nepal’s top tourist destinations, Pokhara, has been shrouded in a thick haze of smog, impacting its tourism industry.
According to iqair.com, an international company that monitors air pollution, the air quality in Pokhara reached an ‘unhealthy’ level on Tuesday, April 30, with an AQI reading of 199.
Apart from the pollution affecting the air quality, there has been a wildfire in Taprang forest, just 27km from Pokhara. The culmination of factors is impacting villages, including Sikles, Kaski and Tangting, which are popular among tourists for their views of the Annapurna mountain range and immersive cultural experiences.
Other tourist attractions in the region that have been affected are Mount Machhapuchchhre, Fewa Lake and Pokhara Bazaar.
Paras Gurung, President of Sikles Hotel Management Committee, said the growing wildfire had made the village’s tourism situation worse.
Tourism and hospitality businesses are reporting that tourists are leaving early, deserting their businesses during the busiest tourist season.
Pomnarayan Shrestha, President of the Pokhara Tourism Council, said if the government did not act soon, pollution could have serious consequences for the area’s burgeoning tourism industry, reports kathmandupost.com.
