What is future of paragliding in Pokhara?

• Jamuna Versa Sharma 

Pokhara. Pokhara is known as a city of adventure tourism along with natural beauty. Paragliding in Pokhara has won the hearts of many tourists in the field of adventure tourism.

For the last time, paragliding has been the choice of domestic and foreign tourists. After the first phase of the Corona epidemic, paragliding in Pokhara was a special choice for domestic tourists. Probably because Nepalis who have been confined at home for months wanted to have a good time as soon as the ban is lifted, many who came to Pokhara chose paragliding.

It also helped to boost tourism in Pokhara. The company had made the sky of Pokhara colorful with 500 to 700 daily flights with 50 to 60 percent discount. Meanwhile, tourism in Pokhara has come to a standstill due to a new strain of coronavirus.

The tourism entrepreneurs are drawing the attention of the concerned bodies to prevent the entrepreneurs of the region from being displaced by bringing easy vaccination and tourism-friendly policy.

Meanwhile, as the construction work of Pokhara Regional Airport is nearing its final stage, paragliding entrepreneurs in the region are busy looking for continuity in the future of their business.

Since the construction of the regional international airport in Pokhara began in 2017, the issue of whether paragliding flights from Pokhara’s Sarangkot could be continued has been discussed. At present, the work of the airport is about 82 percent complete.

General Secretary of the organization Balram Acharya said that paragliding in Pokhara is technically a problem and if the international practice is followed, it can be continued according to the same model. “There may be problems, but there is no problem that cannot be solved.

Only by creating a ‘safe zone’ and strictly following the policy, paragliding can be done along with the airport,” said Acharya. In Pokhara and surrounding areas, the service was first operated in 1997 by ultralight aircraft and from 2001 by unmanned paraglider. Since then, 79 companies have come into operation.

There are 70 paragliding companies, three paragliding flying schools, four ultralight companies, and one hot air balloon company. According to Anil KC, vice-chairman of the organization, there are currently 60 paragliding companies in operation.