PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

IN NIRMAL POKHARI, KASKI

Bachelor of Mountain Tourism Management

Submitted By
Roshni kshetri
Exam Roll No: 761…
T.U. Regd. No: …

A Report of the Fieldwork Report

Submitted to
An Autonomous Program
Research Committee, Janapriya Multiple Campus
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Mountain Tourism Management (BMTM)

at the
Janapriya Multiple Campus
Tribhuvan University

Pokhara
August, 2023

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I would like to put forward my words to express cordial and respectable
gratitude to the lecturer of Janapriya Campus, Pokhara, Tribhuvan University who
provided me insight into basic deals and techniques essential for carrying out this study,
feel very lucky to have done this study under his supervision and guidance without his
support this study would not have been in this shape.

In the same way, I express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Prof. ….. for
providing me the opportunity to carry out this study likewise. I am indebted to all the
respondent of Nirmal Pokhari who helped me by responding to the questionnaire and
participating in the test.

Similarly, I would like to thank Janapriya Campus of the necessary support. Finally I
offer my regards to all the those who supported me in any respect during indirectly.

Susmita Bastola

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 CONTENT

Title page of the Field Work Report I

Acknowledgments II
Table of Contents III
List of Tables and Figures IV

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 1
1.2 2
1.3 3
CHAPTER TWO: PHYSICAL FEATURES AND SPECIALITIES 5
2.1 5
2.2 5
2.3 6
2.4 10
2.5 10
2.6 10
2.7 11
CHAPTER THREE 12
3.1 12
3.2 14
3.3 15
3.4 17
3.5 20
3.6 20
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 22
4.1 22
4.2 23
4.3 23
4.4 24
REFERENCE 25
APPENDICES 26

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 LIST OF TABLE

Page
Table 1: Respondents by Age 6
Table 2: Respondents by Gender 6
Table 3: Marital Status of Respondents 7
Table 4: Educational Status of the Respondents 7
Table 5: Castes Composition of Respondents 8
Table 6: Occupation Composition of Respondents 8

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Nepal is a small landlocked Himalayan country, having an area of 147,181 sq. km, lies
in South Asia and officially known as the Democratic Republic of Nepal (Kharel,
2013). With rich ancient cultures set against the most dramatic scenery in the world,
Nepal is a land of discovery and unique experience providing individuals with an
experience that is authentic and mesmerizing. It has spellbinding natural beauty, unique
cultural heritage, multi-language, multi-ethnicity, multi religion, conducive climate and
tourism friendly environment, which attracts both domestic and international tourists.
With eight of the 10 highest mountains in the world including Sagarmatha, national
parks rich in flora and fauna, snow-fed rivers, exceptional trekking routes, wonderful
lakes and welcoming people, Nepal is an ideal tourist destination. It is unsurpassed that
the sheer diversity Nepal boasts, from steamy jungle and Terai to the icy peaks of the
world’s highest mountains means that the range of activities on offer. For many,
Nepal’s greatest attraction is its people. From remote mountain villages to medieval
hill-towns and the ancient cities of the Kathmandu Valley, the people of Nepal are
always welcoming ("Tourism in Nepal - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal [MOFA]",
n.d.).

Pokhara is the second most visited city in Nepal, as well as one of the most popular
tourist destinations ("About Pokhara", n.d.). It is a geographical landscape of beauty
and its prime attractions include three of the tallest mountains in the world, the large
number of lakes, religious sites, cultural heritages, trekking and hiking routes, caves
and other manmade tributes (Pokhara, n.d.). Pokhara has unique assets for tourism
development and a great diversity of products. Key attractions include its nature,
trekking and adventure activities, religious and cultural sites. It has an established niche
in international tourism, with tourist arrivals showing strong and stable growth
(International Finance Corporation [IFC], Final Report, 2016). Different tourism
activities like trekking, mountaineering, hiking, pony trek, paragliding, ultra-light
flights, mountain flights, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, honey hunting,

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research, birds and butterflies watching, village tourism, boating, fishing etc. are main
attractions of Pokhara.

Among the ways of exploration, Hills in Pokhara are wonderful places to surf around
the beautiful panorama, explore the mountain offerings, pokhara valley itself, to view
sunrise/sunset, enjoy fresh air and for many other recreational activities ("Hill Stations
in Nepal | Top 15 Hill Stations near Kathmandu and Pokhara", 2021). Situated in
different parts, each viewpoint seems to narrate a different chronicle of Pokhara's
phenomenal sights. Some of the hills/viewpoints in Pokhara include sarangkot, kahun
dada, Matepani gumba, World peace stupa, Nirmalpokhari and so forth. Nirmal Pokhari
is one of those beautiful viewpoints with the perfect blend of unique culture and nature.
Tourism has been developed mainly on the major tourist attraction sites in Pokhara.
But, the other beautiful and attractive places, nearby the Pokhara valley, like Nirmal
Pokhari, are still far behind for tourists though they have high opportunities for tourism
development.

Nirmalpokhari is a former Village Development Committee in Kaski District in the

Gandaki Province of northern-central Nepal. It is now annexed to Pokhara metropolitan
city, and is ward no. 21 of them. The village is about 10 kilometers south from Pokhara
at an altitude of 1450m. Nirmal Pokhari is situated very close to Pokhara valley but it
is still behind in case of tourism development. With more tourism opportunities, Nirmal
Pokhari can be developed into alternative destinations for tourists visiting Pokhara and
can extend tourists' stay for more days, assisting in the economic and social
development of the people of Nirmal Pokhari. This study examines the prospects and
challenges of tourism development, as well as efforts of tourism development in Nirmal
Pokhari.

1.2 Objective of the Study

The main objective of this study is to assess the prospects and challenges of tourism
development in Nirmal Pokhari. However the specific objectives of the study are :
● To study potential tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari.
● To know the efforts of Nirmal Pokhari to boost tourism in the area.

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1.3 Location, activity, information

The location of the study is focused on the Nirmal Pokhari of Kaski district, province
number two in the Gandaki Zone of northern-central Nepal. It is a former Village
Development Committee which has now been annexed to ward no. 21 of Pokhara
metropolitan city but it still has characteristics of rural areas. The place is situated about
10 kilometers south from Pokhara at an altitude of around 1450 m ("Nirmal Pokhari
Hike | Nirmal Pokhari Village Hiking in Pokhara", n.d.). Geographically, Nirmal
Pokhari lies in 28.1538° or 28° 9' 13.6" northern latitude and 84.0016° or 84° 0' 5.8"
eastern longitude. Nirmal Pokhari can be reached within about 30 minutes by bike and
car from the downtown town of Pokhara valley ("Nirmal Pokhari", n.d.).

Many people of Nirmal Pokhari are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. They
are involved in agricultural activities like animal husbandry, vegetable farming, orange
farming, coffee farming, poultry farming, etc. Foreign employment, service, business,
labors etc. are also the factors to uplift the economy of this place. Nirmal Pokhari
doesn’t have enough internal resources for economic improvement of people and the
available resources are also not utilized properly.

Nirmal Pokhari is a beautiful place with a potential of attracting a huge number of

visitors. Nirmal Pokhari is mostly inhabited by Brahmins and kshetris. Main livelihood
of peoples are agriculture, animal husbandry, farming, business, service, foreign
employment, etc. Yoga, Meditation, Camping, Picnic, View Sunrise and Sunset,
Hiking, Sightseeing etc are some activities that tourists can enjoy in Nirmal Pokhari.
There are hotels, restaurants, homestay, guest house and resort for accommodation.
People mainly visit Nirmal Pokhari during Spring season and during New year and
Dashain.

Despite having great natural and cultural attractions, Nirmal Pokhari is still behind in
the case of tourism development and it has not gained enough popularity and tourist
inflow like other hill stations of Pokhara like Sarangkot. It has the huge potential of
being an alternative tourism destination. The main purpose of selecting Nirmal Pokhari
as a study area is to analyze the prospects and challenges of tourism development in

3
Nirmal Pokhari. Also to analyze what tourism activities can be developed in Nirmal
Pokhari to increase the tourist inflow.

The study aims to study the prospects and challenges of tourism development in Nirmal
Pokhari. So, this study is based on case study research design. There are around 4800
people living in Nirmal Pokhari which is the population of the family. In order to collect
required data for the study, 38 respondents are chosen as samples among which 35 are
local people and 3 are officials of Nirmal Pokhari. Method used to collect data and
information is a convenience sampling method. So the respondents are chosen
according to convenience.

The specific data required for this study are from primary and secondary sources. The
primary tool used for gathering the data includes semi-structured questionnaire,
Interview, field observation, direct personal contact and telephone. Secondary data is
obtained from related books, articles, websites, organizational records and similar
studies done in the topic of study.

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 CHAPTER TWO

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND SPECIALITIES

2.1 Location

Nirmal Pokhari is covered by Lekhnath municipality and Pokhara in the north,

Lekhnath and Dulegauda in the east, in the south by Dhorphirdi, Phirpire and Taksar
and to the west by Kristinachnechaur. Hiking to Nirmal Pokhari begins from the point
near Gupteshwor cave, which is just 10 minutes drive from Lakeside of Pokhara.
Phoksingkot is the best for sunrise, sunset, sightseeing, picnic and camp firing but these
activities can also be done in other areas within Nirmal Pokhari. People go cycling
around the pitch road of Nirmal Pokhari. Nau baini kesharmala mandir lies in
Dhakalbari and Jaldevi temple is in Giri gau. Chaurikharka homestay is in
Chaurikharka, Parajuli homestay is in Parajuli gau and Sadhana homestay is in
Bhandari gau . Orange farms are found mostly in Pokharel thok, Parajuli gau and
Phoksing. Coffee farms are found in almost every place of Nirmal Pokhari.

2.2 Physical features and specialities

Physical features
Land
Nirmal Pokhari is a hilly area having sloppy land with a hard rocky surface. Furse khola
and Suraudi khola are on either side of Nirmal Pokhari.

Climate
Nirmal Pokhari has a humid subtropical climate, however the elevation keeps
temperatures moderate, and it is marked by monsoon rainfall. Temperatures in summer
average between 25 and 35°C; in winter around 6°C.

Precipitation pattern
The average annual rainfall is about 3,650 mm. Most precipitation occurs during the
monsoon season (July - September). Winter and spring skies are generally clear and
sunny.

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Vegetation
Vegetation and crop cultivation are largely determined by the landforms and climate
zones. Some of the vegetation and crops in Nirmal Pokhari are Orange, Maize, Wheat,
Grapefruit, Nepali Radish, Tomatoes, etc.

Specialities
Nirmal Pokhari is environmentally rich with lush green forest, greenery, clean air,
varieties of flora and fauna, rivers and picturesque Pokhara at the lap of snow-clad
Himalayas. The entrancing sunrise and sunset and family-run orange and coffee farms
are the centre of attraction at Nirmalpokhari. Nirmal Pokhari also offers views of the
Annapurna Range, especially the sacred Mount Machhapuchchhre at 6,993 m,
Dhaulagiri at 8,167 m and Annapurna at 8092 m including the seven lakes. Birdlife in
Nirmal Pokhari is prolific with upwards of 20 species of birds being found. Different
species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects are also found in Nirmal Pokhari.
More than 640 species of butterfly have so far been found in Nepal, many of which
occur in Nirmal Pokhari. Nirmalpokhari also provides the Homestay experience. One
of which is operated by Magar ethnic communities that offer an opportunity to
experience their culture, customs and daily way of life. With a total of 65 households,
tourists can experience their culture, art, lifestyle and taste the local organic products.

2.3 Demography

2.3.1 Respondents by Age

The age composition of respondents is depicted in the table.

Table 2.1
Respondents by Age
Age group Frequency Percent
19-29 8 22.85
30-39 10 28.57
40-49 11 31.42
50+ 6 17.14
Total 35 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2021

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Most of the respondent 31.42 respondents were between 40-49 years old, 22.85 percent
respondents were between 19-29 years. 28.57 percent from the age between 30-39 year
and 17.14 percent were 50+ age group. The table shows that the 50+ yea age participant
are low number.

2.3.2 Gender of Respondents

In every sector gender balance is very important. Gender structure is the most important
factor. It is because the social understanding level is depending on the gender.

Table 2.2
Respondents by Gender
Gender Number Percentage
Male 19 54.28
Female 16 45.71
Others 0 00.00
Total 35 100.00
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The table 2.2 shows that 54 percent male and 45.71 percent female were involved, a
small number of females compared to males.

2.3.3 Marital Status of Respondents

Marriage is a social phenomenon in human society. The following table presents the
marital Status of the respondents of this research study.

Table 2.3
Marital Status of Respondents
Marital Status Frequency Percent
Married 15 42.85
Unmarried 18 51.42
Other 2 5.71
Total 35 100.00
Source: Field Survey, 2021

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The table 2.3 indicates that 42.85 percent respondents were married and 51.42 percent
unmarried and 5.71 percent were others. The majority of the respondents are unmarried.

2.3.4 Educational Status of the Respondents

Educational qualification is an important variable in social and cultural research. They

can illustrate the level of knowledge and awareness among people. Role of education
also depends on the status of people in their working field or society. In tourism sector
quality personality is as important as qualification.

Table 2.4
Educational Status of the Respondents
Education Frequency Percent
Illiterate 3 8.57
Literate 10 28.57
Up to basic Level 13 37.14
Secondary 4 11.42
Higher Education 5 14.28
Total 35 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The table 2.4 indicates that 8.57 percent were Illiterate, while 28.57 percent were
literate, 37.14 percent of them up to basic level, 11.42 percent were secondary level and
14.28 percent were higher education.

2.3.5 Caste Composition of Respondents

Nirmal Pokhari has multiethnic composition comprising of upper caste, janajati, dalit
and other. The following table presents the castes of the respondents of this research
study.

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Table 2.5
Castes Composition of Respondents
Castes Groups Respondent Percentage
Upper Caste 15 42.85
Janajati 10 28.57
Dalit 5 14.28
Others 5 14.28
Total 35 100
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The above table shows the upper caste is higher in number i.e. 42.85%, Janajati were
28.57 percent, Dalit and other caste were 14.28.

2.3.6 Occupational Composition of Respondents

Occupation is the mean of livelihood of people. Majority of people in responded of
people. Majority of people in responded area are farmers. Agriculture in the main
occupation of the respondents engaging in farming.

Table 2.6
Occupation of Respondents
Occupation Frequency Percentage
Farmer 4 11.42
Business 9 25.71
Students 15 42.85
Unemployed 5 14.28
Service 7 20.00
Total 35 100
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The above figure shows the occupational status of respondents with 42.85 percent of
Student, 25.71% farmer, 11.42% are students, 14.28 percent respondents are
unemployed and 12% business. Business here in case of respondents refers to the local
shop owners and local trader of daily used material in between and cross boarder local
market.

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2.4 Socio-cultural characteristics

Nirmal Pokhari is inhabited by people from various castes, including Brahmins,

Kshhetris, Magar, Dashnami, Thakuri, Gurung and Dalits, allowing visitors to learn
about their cultural differences.

2.5 Religion, religious practices, festivities, temples and shrines

Religions in Nirmal Pokhari are Hinduism, Buddhism and christianity. Most of the
people in Nirmal Pokhari follow Hinduism. Some of the religious practices in Nirmal
Pokhari are Nwaran, bratabandha, marriage, chaurasi puja, cultural dance, music, etc.
And the festivities are Dashain, tihar, christmas, buddha purnima, teej, maha shivaratri
and others. There is cultural and religious harmony among people so they enjoy every
festival and religious practice of any religion no matter what religion they follow or
what caste they belong to. There are also few temples and shrines having great religious
importance. Some of the temples and shrines in Nirmal Pokhari are Narayan temple,
Jaldevi Temple and Nau baini kesharmala Temple. These temples have existed since a
long time ago and have their respective religious importance.

2.6 Institutions

Since Nirmal Pokhari is a beautiful place with several natural and cultural beauty, there
are several local level organizations - both governmental and non-governmental and
various user groups engaged in the management of such resources. Many of the groups
are formally or informally organized. They carry out their activities independently
except for some occasions when people affiliated to two or more institutions happen to
interact, more in an informal way.

The institutions in Nirmal Pokhari are:

● Schools
● Cooperatives
● Youth clubs
● Local NGOs
● Mother’s group

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 ● Tourism development committee
● Forest conservation committee

2.7 Observations and concluding remarks

Nirmal Pokhari is a place which has its own natural and cultural beauty along with fresh
air and various biodiversity. It is mostly inhabited by Brahmins and Kshetris as well as
hindu people. Most people are dependent on agriculture, animal husbandry, farming,
business, foreign employment and service for supporting their livelihood. Sunrise and
sunset, himalayas, Pokhara valley, river, cultural diversity, orange and coffee farms and
various biodiversity can be viewed from here. The people of Nirmal Pokhari are very
hospitable and helpful and the climate of Nirmal Pokhari is moderate and pleasant.
There are few shops and viewpoints on the way to Nirmal Pokhari. There are few
hotels, restaurants and tea shops in Nirmal Pokhari but there is only one resort at the
top of Nirmal Pokhari. There are no banks and police stations over there. Many tourists
can be seen in the morning who visit there for yoga and meditation. Tourists can visit
Nirmal Pokhari for hiking, trekking, meditation, yoga, sightseeing, homestay and other
tourism activities. But, the tourist inflow in Nirmal Pokhari is almost null. It can be
because of the current pandemic situation as well as because of lack of view towers,
insufficient promotion, lack of diversity of tourism products, lack of tourism support
services, etc. Nirmal Pokhari carries a huge potential of being an alternative tourist
destination which is possible through effective marketing, local people participation,
diversification of tourism products, development of tourism support services and
facilities, construction of parks, view towers and so on.

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 CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Tourism activities in the location

Nirmal Pokhari is located in the region of Western Region. Western Region's capital
Pokhara is approximately 12.7 km / 7.9 mi away from Nirmal Pokhari. The distance
from Nirmal Pokhari to Nepal's capital (Kathmandu) is approximately 140 km / 87 mi.
Nirmal Pokhari is a peaceful and beautiful place to visit with unique landforms,
numerous hills, mountains, beautiful rivers, temples, etc. Tourism activities in Nirmal
Pokhari are:

Spiritual Meditations and Yoga tourism

Peaceful, calm and beautiful environment of Nirmal Pokhari is able to attract many
people for sunrise yoga and meditation which helps tourists to reduce stress and
discover their own self. Mainly the tourists within Pokhara valley near Nirmal Pokhari
visit there early in the morning for yoga and meditation. There are no any yoga or
meditation centres in Nirmal Pokhari but they have planned to establish such centers in
coming years. Development of yoga and meditation centres can help in the development
of commercial yoga and meditation tourism.

Research and education

The cultural and biological diversities of Nirmal Pokhari makes it an area of study and
research for many scholars. Different species of flora and fauna, orange farms, coffee
farms, tourism activities found in Nirmal Pokhari can be beneficial for the students of
Botany and Zoology, tourism and others to conduct research and gain knowledge in the
respective area. But, this is not a popular form of tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari.
More marketing and promotion will help Nirmal Pokhari to be recognized as an
educational tourism destination.

Wildlife spotting
Wildlife spotting is also the best thing to do in Nirmal Pokhari. Tourists can find 20
species of birds in beautiful colors with pretty looks (Field survey, 2021). Tourists can

12
also find some major species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects in Nirmal
Pokhari. Birdwatchers and photographers can take fantastic snaps. There are few
viewpoints from where tourists can watch various species of birds and animals. Nirmal
Pokhari has planned to conserve the species and convert itself into a mini zoo where
tourists can view different species of animals.

Homestay based cultural tourism

Nirmalpokhari currently operates three homestays and provides the Homestay
experience through homestays such as Chilaunekharka Homestay, Sadhana Homestay
and Parajuli Homestay. Chilaunekharka homestay is operated by magar community,
Parajuli homestay is operated by brahmin community and Sadhana homestay by
Brahmins, kshetris and few dalits. Homestay in Nirmal Pokhari offers an opportunity
to experience local authentic culture, customs and daily way of life, doing household
chores or working in the farms and taste the local organic products. Homestay is a
relatively new form of tourism in Nirmal Pokhari. It has not been able to gain enough
tourist inflow as expected. If homestay tourism flourish as expected then it will help to
provide employment to the local people and ultimately increase their living standard.

Picnic and Camping

The area named Phoksingkot is a popular spot for picnics and camp firing. Many groups
of people arrive here from different parts of Pokhara and surrounding areas for
refreshment. Tourists also spend their nights in hotels or tents, where they enjoy
barbecuing, dancing, and singing while breathing in fresh air and being surrounded by
nature. Domestic tourists within Pokhara valley visit Nirmal Pokhari for picnics and
camping. Nirmal Pokhari is gaining more attention from tourists through social media
sites like facebook, tiktok, instagram, etc. Establishment of hotels, construction of
roads, promotion, etc has helped to gain more tourist inflow in the area.

Hiking
Hikers enjoy the panoramic beauty of the hills along with the cultural vibrancy of the
nearby villages. Nirmalpokhari Hike is an alternative hiking destination for those
seeking a moment outside the city with fewer visitors, but with great views of nature
and good food. Hiking to Nirmal Pokhari begins from the point near Gupteshwor cave,

13
which is just 10 minutes drive from Lakeside of Pokhara. The trail crosses rivers over
bridges, passes paddy rice fields, orange and coffee farms and goes through the green
forest on off-beat tracks. In order to promote hiking and trekking, Nirmal Pokhari
renovated the hiking trail that starts from Dobilla by adding steps so that it would make
hiking and trekking easier.

Sightseeing
Tourists visit Nirmal Pokhari to enjoy the panoramic view of the snow-capped
mountains, hills, evergreen natural forests, biodiversity, flora and fauna, its family-run
orange and coffee farms, the view of sunrise and sunset and the view of Pokhara valley
along with rivers. Visitors are bewitched by the luminescence of the Annapurna range,
Machapuchhre range and Mount Dhaulagiri which can be clearly sighted from here.
Moreover, all three lakes of Pokhara: Rupa Tal, Begnas Tal, and Fewa Tal can be
spotted from the top. Villages of nearby districts, including Syangja and Tanahun, are
also visible from the viewpoint of Nirmal Pokhari. This is one of the most popular
tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari which attracts

Besides this, tourists visit Nirmal Pokhari for cycling, leisure and recreation, yoga and
meditation, bungee jump in furse khola, etc.

3.2 Features of Tourism Development

The implementation of the measures taken to develop the tourism sector has made it
possible to improve the dynamics of the tourism development in Nirmal Pokhari. For
the development of tourism, Nirmal Pokhari has developed a homestay program. One
of the homestays is Chaurikharka Homestay in which tourists can explore authentic
Magar culture and lifestyle. They have formed a forest conservation committee and
tourism development committee to boost tourism in the area. Also, an international
cycling race was held in Nirmal Pokhari. Furthermore, road construction, local people
participation, construction of view points, picnic spot, Birdwatching site, hotels,
restaurants, resort, maintenance of religious sites, etc are some features of tourism
development in Nirmal Pokhari.

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3.3 Tourism initiatives, plans and potential

Successful tourism development in an area demands formulation and implementation

of several initiatives and plans. For the development of tourism, Nirmal Pokhari has
formulated a master plan. The master plan is categorized into three categories;
immediate actions, short term plan and long term plan upto 10 years. In this master
plan, all the activities that Nirmal Pokhari is going to undertake in the next 10 years are
mentioned. Nirmal Pokhari has already initiated Homestay programs, constructed few
viewpoints, picnic spots, conducted international cycling competition, marketing,
establishment of hotels, resort and has constructed roads as well. In the next 10 years,
Nirmal Pokhari has planned to develop a cable car and zipline, religious cyclic trails,
community homestay network, National archaeological mega triplet pokhara view
towers, trekking and hiking route, day night picnic parks in community forests,
waterfront park, vehicle stands, jeep safari, cycling trail and pony trek, hospitality and
tourism academic course, information boards, permanent executive tourism
development committee, financial institutions and police security stations, cultural
training centre, touristic recycling centre, orange-coffee tourism village, and tourism,
agriculture and environment research centre.
Because of its landscape, beauty, cultural diversity, climatic condition, rivers and
welcoming people, and other attractions, Nirmal Pokhari has potential to develop
several tourism activities. Some of them are:

● Excursions
Students from different schools can visit Nirmal Pokhari as a one day excursion to
explore flora and fauna, orange farms, homestays, coffee farms, forests, biodiversity,
greenery and other tourism attractions in the area.

● Yoga and meditation tourism

Many tourists already visit Nirmal Pokhari for yoga and meditation. Through the
development of yoga and meditation centers, Nirmal Pokhari can develop commercial
yoga and meditation tourism.

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● Alternative destination for peaceful accommodation
Nirmal Pokhari can be a peaceful alternative tourist attraction instead of the
overcrowded and noisy Places. It can attract those types of tourists who are in search of
peace and a sound environment away from the noise of vehicles and crowds of people.

● Sunrise and Sunset point

Nirmal Pokhari can be developed as a sunrise and sunset view point. It has the huge
potential of attracting the nature lovers who love to see the rising and setting Sun. The
view of dawn and dusk, dramatic change of colors, shades and pattern after sunrise at
Annapurna seen from Nirmal Pokhari is incredibly calming not just because of the
beauty that you can see, but because of the calm and serene silence that comes with it.

● Adventure and Sports tourism

Paragliding, mountain biking, jungle tour, bungee jump, zipline, marathon etc. can also
be developed in Nirmal Pokhari for the promotion of tourism. It also helps the tourists
to get familiar with the environment of Nirmal Pokhari which definitely helps to
promote tourism too in the long run. So, Nirmal Pokhari can be a potential spot for
adventure and sports tourism.

● Eco tourism
Nirmal Pokhari has the possibility of ecotourism as it is rich in natural resources,
tourists can have a jungle walk through the dense forests, enjoy bird watching, enjoy
the fresh and cool air, observe the traditional farming methods , cultural diversity, etc.
It helps to generate cultural and environmental awareness and respect while providing
economic benefits to the local people.

● Religious tourism
Nirmal Pokhari can be a good destination for religious tourism as it consists of many
historically important temples such as Jaldevi Temple, Nau baini kesharmala Temple
and the Narayan Temple . Nau baini kesharmala is believed to have existed from 500
years ago. It is a fort for animal sacrifice in a puja called lain puja and it is supposed to
be a way to make the god pleased. Furthermore, It is said that the Jaldevi temple has
existed since time immemorial as there was an inscription about 200 years ago.

16
These activities will help to provide employment to the local people, within and outside
the sector, including women and marginalized groups. Also, it helps to support local
business in the area, provide alternative employment to the people and diversify the
economic base. This will ultimately help to increase the living standard of local people.

3.4 Ideas for tourism development

In order to develop tourism, several ideas need to be formulated. Nirmal Pokhari has
also formulated some ideas for tourism development which includes a 10 year master
plan for the development of tourism in the area. Some of the ideas for tourism
development in Nirmal Pokhari are:

• View Towers
Developing several view towers to view sunrise, sunset, Pokhara valley, surrounding
districts, rivers, lakes and other attractions that can be viewed from Nirmal Pokhari.
Few view towers have already been constructed in different places of Nirmal Pokhari
and they are planning to construct a mega triplet tower to view greater Pokhara, to view
sunrise and sunset and other scenarios that can be seen from Nirmal Pokhari. It can help
Nirmal Pokhari to be developed like other hill stations of Pokhara such as Sarangkot.

• Hiking and Trekking Routes

Develop hiking and trekking routes where tourists can enjoy panoramic views of hills
and mountains along with the cultural vibrancy of the nearby places. The hiking trail
which starts from Dobilla is renovated to flourish hiking in Nirmal Pokhari. Nirmal
Pokhari has planned to develop hiking and trekking routes and foot tracks from
Mattikhan, Maidankot, Chilaunekharka and Banpale along with chautaris and tea stalls
on the way from where tourists can reach Nirmal Pokhari.

• Infrastructure Development
Tourism expands more when there are better infrastructure facilities in the destination.
Construction of roads, better communication facilities, internet facilities, safe drinking
water, etc is required to develop. Roads have been constructed in almost all main roads
of Nirmal Pokhari but roads in alleys are yet to be constructed. Safe drinking water and
internet facilities are most essential for tourism development so Nirmal Pokhari is
making efforts to increase their availability by planning projects and budgeting.

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• Local People Participation
Involvement of local people including marginalized groups in tourism planning,
decision making and controlling so that they can mobilize and utilize their skills and
capacities and contribute to tourism development. Nirmal Pokhari has provided
training, awareness and education to the local people to operate homestays and other
tourism activities so that they would effectively operate tourism activities while
encouraging them to participate in developmental activities at the same time. This can
help local people to maintain control over tourism in the area and would help prevent
the economic leakage.

• Recreational Parks
Forests in Nirmal Pokhari can be transformed into beautiful picnic parks, children's
parks, waterfront parks, pony trails, riverside recreation etc. It would attract children,
young, adults and old age people. Nirmal Pokhari has decided on an area for the
recreational park, Pokharel thok deurali, but due to the pandemic situation the plan has
been on hold. After the pandemic situation eases, Nirmal Pokhari is planning to
continue with the planning and developmental works. They are planning to construct
park while conserving the forest resources at the same time.

• Cultural Community Buildings

Cultural community buildings are the most important premises where they can be used
for local cultural shows, training, meetings, welcomes, and many more. It is also
applicable as a museum and information center that includes souvenir shops. It would
be the homestay guest welcoming center of local homestay operators. There are no
cultural community buildings in Nirmal Pokhari till now but they are planning to build
one at Chaurikharka where there is Chaurikharka homestay operated by magar
communities.

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• Adventure and Sports Activities
Paragliding, mountain biking, jungle tour, cycling, bungee jump, cable car, zipline,
marathon etc. can also be developed in Nirmal Pokhari for the promotion of tourism. It
also helps the tourists to get familiar with the environment of Nirmal Pokhari which
definitely helps to promote tourism too in the long run. As for now, tourists can enjoy
bungee jumping in furse khola. Zipline and Cable car are purposed from Dandako
Pokhari to below Nirmal Pokhari. But, a feasibility study is to be carried out. Adventure
tourism is on the rise every year. These activities can help to attract risk and adventure
thriving tourists.

• Marketing and Promotion

Nirmal Pokhari lacks recognition even by domestic tourists. It has a lot to offer to the
tourists along with its natural and cultural beauty. Nirmal Pokhari should do proper
marketing and promotion of its tourism attractions and activities through digital and
offline platforms to reach out to more tourists. Nirmal Pokhari is currently doing its
marketing and promotion through digital platforms like facebook, google, tiktok, etc.
But still the reach is not satisfactory. Nirmal Pokhari should focus on content and
activities that will draw the attention of domestic as well as international tourists.

• Tourism support facilities

Establish tourists standard hotels, resorts, homestay, banks, police stations, medical
facilities, chautara, parks, increase internet facilities, diversify tourism products,
introduce family tour packages, multi-purpose tourism packages, etc. Such facilities
will help to draw more tourists in the area. As of now, Nirmal Pokhari has no banks and
police station. Tourists only visit a destination when they feel their security is assured.
Without any police station, it will be difficult to attract tourists to the location.
Furthermore, tourists do not carry huge sums of money in their pockets so they need a
bank to make transactions or to draw money so a bank is required to be developed in
Nirmal Pokhari. Also, there are not enough resorts and hotels. These all are basic
requirements required for tourism development which Nirmal Nirmal Pokhari is
planning to develop in coming years.

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• Others
Protection of nature and local culture, cleanliness campaigns, conservation of
environment and species, local and global collaboration, seek support from
government, increase web presence, marketing through social media platforms,
diversify the tourism products, planning and conducting research to identify other
tourism activities, organize several fairs and festivals(mela), mahayagya, campaigns,
etc to draw huge crowds of people in Nirmal Pokhari.
3.5 Justification and rationale of the idea/feasibility

Nirmal Pokhari is a beautiful tourist destination but the tourist inflow in the area is not
satisfactory. Nirmal Pokhari has already formulated a master plan for tourism
development. With local participation, proper investment, funding and support from
provincial and state governments, it can be implemented well. View towers, hiking and
trekking routes, infrastructure, recreational parks, cultural community buildings, hotels,
resorts, banks, internet facilities, adventure and sports activities, etc are very important
for the tourism development in the area. Nirmal Pokhari and its attractions are not
known by even many of the domestic tourists so marketing and promotion will help
Nirmal Pokhari to be known among more people. Homestay will attract those tourists
who want to explore the authentic culture and lifestyle of local people. All these
facilities will help to attract more tourists in the area and will ultimately contribute to
the tourism development.

3.6 Actions required or proposed for converting idea into action

Despite having a lot to offer to the tourists, tourist inflow in Nirmal Pokhari is very less.
Some of the identified challenges of the development of tourism in Nirmal Pokhari are
lack of government support, lack of standard hotels and other tourism related facilities,
lack of view towers, lack of transportation system, lack of investment in tourism sector,
lack of local and skilled manpower, lack of tourist information boards, tourism potential
land occupied by land agents, lack of well managed foot trails for trekking and hiking,
there is not even one bank and police station, very weak promotional activity, lack of
recreational activities, lack of tourism products and diversification, lack of involvement
of tourists in commercial tourism activities and so forth.

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In order to achieve the desired level of tourism development, it will be necessary to
formulate different ideas. Some actions for converting ideas into action are:

● Policy and Planning

● Government Support
● Training and Awareness
● Investment and Funding
● Marketing and Promotion
● Local People Participation
● Partners and Relationships
● Concessions and Agreements
● Tourism Product Improvement
● Tourism Product Development
● Safety and Rescue Mechanism
● Proper waste management system
● Establish tourist information boards
● Conservation of local culture and arts
● Environmental Management and Protection
● Establish tourist standard hotels and resorts, banks, police stations, etc.
● Develop Tourism Support Infrastructure, Services and recreational activities.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 Conclusion

Nirmal Pokhari has both prospects and challenges for the development of tourism. The
scenic view of Himalayas and Pokhara valley, heart touching sunrise and sunset view,
greenery, orange and coffee farms and natural and cultural diversity are the major
attractions in Nirmal Pokhari. Current tourism activities in the area are picnic and
camping, homestay based cultural tourism, sightseeing, hiking, spiritual meditation and
yoga tourism, leisure and recreation, wildlife spotting, cycling and research and
education. Potential tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari are excursions, commercial
yoga and meditation tourism, sunrise and sunset viewpoint, adventure and sports
tourism, ecotourism, religious tourism, alternative destinations for peaceful
accommodation, riverside recreation, etc.

Some of the identified challenges of tourism development in Nirmal Pokhari are lack
of government support, lack of standard hotels and other tourism related facilities, lack
of view towers, lack of transportation system, lack of investment in tourism sector, lack
of local and skilled manpower, lack of tourist information boards, tourism potential
land occupied by land agents, lack of well managed foot trails for trekking and hiking,
there is not even one bank and police station, very weak promotional activity, lack of
recreational activities, lack of tourism products and diversification, lack of involvement
of tourists in commercial tourism activities and so forth. If the opportunities of Nirmal
Pokhari are properly identified and actions are done to minimize the challenges, it can
be the best alternative tourists' destination in near future.

Some of the efforts of Nirmal Pokhari for tourism development are initiation of
homestay programs, international cycling competition, formulation of tourism master
plan, construction of few viewpoints, roads, picnic spots, chautara, establishment of
few hotels, resort, marketing and so forth. It is praiseworthy but some extraordinary and
big projects have to be launched on this hill for rapid development of tourism. All the
people of Nirmal Pokhari and the related personalities should unite together for its

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development. If the people of Nirmal Pokhari have good leadership and plan, they can
achieve the target of tourism development in a short period of time.

4.2 Lesson learnt

Some of the knowledge gained while preparing the project work are the geography,
location, land, vegetation, biodiversity and climate of Nirmal Pokhari. Social-cultural
and economic status of people, religion, festivities as well as temples and shrines of
Nirmal Pokhari are also known. Furthermore, the major attractions, tourism activities,
ideas, prospects and challenges and efforts for tourism development as well as the future
plan of Nirmal Pokhari to promote its tourism among domestic and international
tourism is known.

4.3 Recommendation for existing tourism activities

The following suggestions are recommended for the overall development of existing
tourism in Nirmal Pokhari:

● Increase Local community participation.

● Increase web presence including information about attractions and
tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari.
● Establish tourist standard hotels, resorts, small restaurants and cafes.
● Focus on domestic tourists by providing several packages, offers,
discounts, etc.
● Organizing fair and festivals, sporting events, mahayagya and other
activities continuously for several years.
● Developing more systematic and well managed picnic spots and
camping areas, making easy access of internets in every single
household, and proper disposal of wastes
● Advertisement and publicity of Tourism in Nirmal Pokhari through
brochures, T.V, Radio, FM, pamphlets, posters etc., and making
promotional documentaries and music videos showing the attractive
tourist attraction sites.

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4.4 Recommendation for converting ideas into action

Some of the recommendations for converting ideas into action to promote Nirmal
Pokhari as a hotspot tourism destination are:
● Proper planning and policy.
● Concessions and Agreements.
● Research, creativity and innovation as well as entrepreneurship.
● Education, training and awareness to the local people.
● Local and global collaboration, partnership and relationships.
● Seek support and guidance from skilled human resources in tourism.
● Investment and funding from the provincial and state Government,
tourism organizations and local people in tourism.

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 REFERENCE

About Pokhara (2021). The Tibetan Encounter Day Tours. Retrieved from
https://tibetanencounter.com/about-pokhara/.
Altitude Himalaya (2021). Hill Stations in Nepal | Top 15 Hill Stations near
Kathmandu and Pokhara.. Retrieved from
https://www.altitudehimalaya.com/hill-stations-in-nepal/.
Bista, R.B. (2011). Economics of Nepal, Kirtipur: New Hira Books Enterprises.
Holidify.com (2021). Viewpoints In Pokhara To See Annapurna Ranges. Retrieved
from https://www.holidify.com/pages/viewpoint-in-pokhara-851.html.
World Bank (2016). . Integrated Tourism Destination Development Plan for Pokhara
and Surrounding Areas, International Finance Corporation. [Author]Kharel,
S. (2013). Rural tourism in Nepal. Kathmandu: Quest Publication Pvt. Ltd,
Himalayanmonk.com (2021). Nirmal Pokhari Hike | Nirmal Pokhari Village Hiking
in Pokhara.. Retrieved from
https://himalayanmonk.com/packages/hiking/nirmal-pokhari-homestay.
Nirmal Pokhari. Mapcarta. Retrieved 12 August 2021, from
https://mapcarta.com/28268284.
Paudel, N. (2021). Trends and major attractions of tourism in Nepal. Retrieved from
https://issuu.com/journal.ijrtem/docs/ijrtem_g029051059.
Third Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project (2021). Nirmal
Pokhari (Kaski District) Subproject: Initial Environmental Examination.
adb.org. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/nep-
third-small-towns-wss-nirmal-pokhari-kaski-iee.
Tourism in Nepal (2021). Embassy of Nepal - Beijing, China. Embassy of Nepal -
Beijing, China. Retrieved from https://cn.nepalembassy.gov.np/tourism-in-
nepal/.
Tourism in Nepal (2021). Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal MOFA. Mofa.gov.np.
Retrieved from https://mofa.gov.np/about-nepal/tourism-in-nepal/.

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 APPENDIX I
QUESTIONNAIRE

Prospects and Challenges of Tourism Development in Nirmal Pokhari

(For Local People)

This questionnaire is prepared to conduct mini research on prospects and challenges of

tourism development in Nirmal Pokhari. The questionnaire shall be filled by local
people of Nirmal Pokhari. The data provided by the people will be used to fulfil the
objectives of mini research. The information obtained via this questionnaire shall be
kept confidential and will be used for this research purpose only. We request you
(participant) to cooperate to fill out the form.

Demographic Related Questions

1 Age of the respondent. a. 19-29 b. 30-39
c. 40-49 d. 50+
2 Gender of the respondents a. Male b. Female
c. Others
3 What is the marital status of a. Married b. Unmarried
Respondents? c. Other
4 What is the education level of the a. Illiterate b. Literate
respondents? c. Upto basic Level d. Secondary
e. Higher Education
5 What is the caste of the a. Upper Caste b. Janajati
respondents? c. Dalit d. Others
6 What is the main occupation of the a. Farmer b. Business
family? c. Student d. Unemployed
e. Service

1. What are the major attractions and specialities of Nirmal Pokhari?

_____________________________________________________________
2. What are the tourism activities in Nirmal Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________

26
3. For what purpose do the tourists mainly visit Nirmal Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________
4. What are the prospects and opportunities of tourism in Nirmal Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________
5. What is the present situation of tourism in Nirmal Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________
6. What are the problems and challenges for the tourism development of Nirmal
Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________
7. What should Nirmal Pokhari do to take advantage of tourism like other places
of Pokhara?
_____________________________________________________________
8. What are the initiatives and efforts done by the local people and government till
now for upliftment of tourism in this area?
_____________________________________________________________
9. What kind of tourism activities should be operated in Nirmal Pokhari so that it
can be developed as an alternative tourist destination in near future?
_____________________________________________________________
10. What must be done to increase tourist inflow in Nirmal Pokhari?
_____________________________________________________________

Thank you!!!!

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 APPENDIX II
Interview Schedule for Officials of Nirmal Pokhari

1. What are the prospects of tourism development in Nirmal Pokhari in your

personal perspective?
2. What type of challenges do you see in Nirmal Pokhari for tourism
development?
3. What types of efforts have been initiated from your side for tourism
development in Nirmal Pokhari?
4. How can Nirmal Pokhari be developed as an alternative tourist destination in
Kaski district?
5. What are the plans and ideas for tourism development in Nirmal Pokhari?
6. What are the actions required or proposed for converting ideas into action?

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