BY Tamish Giri

Last December, as I was enjoying a local band playing Metallica at the Purple Haze, my eyes caught sight of Bjorn and Freja, a beautiful Nordic couple. After a short chitchat, I learned that they were in Nepal for their honeymoon. Their joyful recounts of less crowded and awe-inspiring treks in the Annapurna region made me question why the country is not focusing on a similar market group for winter tourism.

As the question hovered in my mind, I recalled my previous interaction with the former CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Deepak Raj Joshi. Back in 2019, Joshi shared that the NTB was eyeing the promotion of Nepal as a winter destination. However, four years down the line, tourism entrepreneurs are still hoping that the said plan could be executed. Tour operators share that Nepal has all climatic zones, and in winter, Nepal should focus on the lower regions that are not cold.

"The street festivals in Pokhara and Chitwan over New Year have given a strong example of how we can market Nepal in winter. This holds true across the length of Nepal," said Raj Gyawali of Social Tours.

Promoting Terai as a destination, including Bardia, Lumbini, Janakpur, Koshi Tappu (migratory birds visit there from Siberia), Ilam, and Jhapa, has also been recommended. The private sector is promoting the destination by selling various packages. Perhaps a responsible practice for many is to help the destination by visiting in a not-too-touristy season.

Pankaj Pradhananga from Four Season Tour said that it is very possible to promote Nepal as a winter destination. "The winter in Kathmandu Valley is still pleasant, with about 20-22 degrees during the day and 2-4 degrees at night on average. Even in winter, days are mostly sunny, and Pokhara and Chitwan are 2-4 degrees warmer than Kathmandu. 

Hence, it is good spring weather for many coming from the northern hemisphere and southern countries," Pradhananga said. "The key is to communicate clearly that it does not snow in Kathmandu Valley (the last time was almost 18 years ago). So they can enjoy almost sunny days here with fewer tourists."

Tourism entrepreneurs say that special packages, discounted rates, and the allure of exploring Nepal during a lean season with fewer crowds can be attractive prospects for tourists. Pradhananga shared that he has six groups from Europe (40+ pax in each group) for November, December, and January.

Binayak Shah, president of the Hotel Association of Nepal, said that the number of tourists during the months of December-February is slightly lower compared to September-November. "However, we still have a satisfactory number of tourists during the peak winter season in Nepal," Shah added.

Tourism entrepreneurs say that special packages, discounted rates, and the allure of exploring Nepal during a lean season with fewer crowds can be attractive prospects for tourists.

December to February is the peak winter season in Nepal, and hotel occupancy declines slightly during these months. Hotel occupancy during these months declines by almost 20% compared to the September-November season, said Saurapani Shahi of Aloft Kathmandu Hotel. Similar is the situation for all the major hotels in Nepal.

Hotels in Nepal see major bookings for the November-December time as the country sees the biggest footfall of foreigners for trekking and mountaineering during this time of the year. The occupancy is also supported by corporate events.

However, the number starts to decline from December onwards unless there are bookings for marriage ceremonies and further corporate events. Hence, hoteliers start to cut off their room rates to adjust to the lower demands.

So far, 809,678 foreign tourists have visited Nepal during the first ten months of 2023. January saw the lowest arrivals of 55,074 arrivals, while October recorded the highest with 117,306 tourists.

Last year, 614,869 foreign tourists entered Nepal to visit various destinations. Back then, the lowest numbers were 16,975 in January and 19,856 in February.

Tourism entrepreneurs have requested the government to simplify the country's tourism policy and make it investment-friendly and tourism-friendly. Travel trade people also emphasised that the casino regulations, currently under revision, should be made systematic and effective to facilitate the operation of the casinos.

In the meantime, hoteliers complain that there has been an increase in the number of new hotels recently, but the arrival of guests is not in the same proportion. They claim that despite the increase in the arrival of tourists and tourism-related activities, the hotel business is operating at one-third of its capacity.

HAN President Shah said that the hotel business has been operating at a loss as the supply is greater than the demand. "Promoting winter tourism to the western markets can add a little support to the business," he added. "Foreign tourists are interested in visiting Nepal, and inquiries are increasing. However, most of these tourists go elsewhere mainly due to our poor infrastructure."

While promoting winter tourism, Shah suggested targeting markets like Australia, which experiences summer during the winter in Nepal, as well as European and American countries which have extreme snowy conditions.

If promoted effectively, winter can become an ideal time to visit Nepal for sightseeing. The skies are usually clear, providing stunning views of the Himalayas. Similarly, those who seek places with low tourist footfall can explore the temples and monasteries around the Kathmandu Valley, along with the numerous national parks and wildlife reserves in the country, all of which attract fewer tourists.

Pradhananga also suggested that NTB can promote travelling to Nepal to celebrate festivals, including Christmas and the New Year.

The potential for winter tourism in Nepal is evident, with its diverse climatic zones offering pleasant conditions in lower regions. While efforts have been made by the private sector to promote destinations like Bardia, Lumbini, Janakpur, Koshi Tappu, Ilam, and Jhapa, there is a call for more comprehensive governmental support and infrastructure development.

Pradhananga's success in bringing groups from Turkey during November, December, and January highlights the viability of Nepal as a winter tourist destination.

Hoteliers say targeted promotion to Western markets, especially in Australia and European countries, could provide crucial support to the industry during winter months.