The visual symphony of the mountains Pokhara

The visual symphony of the mountains, the relaxing air of Pokhara Valley, the par excellence cultural and natural montage attracted mountaineers and explorers from different parts of the world in the past. Pokahra has gradually become the most important tourist destination in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, after Kathmandu. On the basis of these unique selling points, various efforts have been made to develop tourism in Pokhara in a planned way but the recommendations outlined in those plans were hardly implemented. However, it was not only the implementations of the recommendations of the various plans that remained weak in the past, but also the  lack of consistency in the thrust of different plans. For example, the Master Plan of 1972 recommended the direct urban expansion including hotels towards the southern area of Pokhara whereas the development plan of Pokhara valley in 1974-75 prohibited the settlement of construction in the south-west of Fewa lake. Likewise, there were diverging perspectives between the government in its Tourism Master Plan 1972 and PATA in its planned development advice in 1975 on the issue of the importance of the architectural beauty of the town. This trend had caused the lack of focus for the strong implementation of plan, which ultimately resulted in  low  achievement  of  the  plan’s  ambitions.  Tourism  planning  may

seem a cumbersome process and even more challenging to execute the suggestions.  Tourist destination like Pokhara should not stay oblivious as the benefits from the tourism plan outweigh the hard work. The cost of good tourism planning can save the heavenly tourism-scape of Pokhara and surrounding areas from irreversible social, economic, cultural and environmental damages.

To ensure that the suggestions of tourism plan be executed, an integrated approach in tourism planning issues should be adopted which helps linking tourism with national, regional and local development policy and programme. The plan and determination to the application of responsible and sustainable tourism policy and practices are also equally important which can enhance the understanding of the stakeholders about the prospects of benefits from tourism along with their own roles and responsibilities.