3 Nov 2023 3 min to read
Outdoor Himalayan Trek present an article on “Guterres Visit Revived Annapurna Region Popularity”. Annapurna Region needs no introduction. It stands as one of the most popular trekking destinations in the world that is in Nepal. Maurice Herzog paved the way for the Annapurna Circuit recognition by successfully ascending the first-ever Annapurna ascent in 1950. Herzog’s book ‘Annapurna’ fascinated trekking to this beautiful Annapurna region. This marks the establishment of trekking in the Annapurna Region. Over time, the popularity significantly grew with the arrival of numerous visitors and some prominent figures globally. Likewise, in recent times, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s visit revived the Annapurna Region’s popularity.
From 1899 to the present time, numerous prominent figures have visited Pokhara and contributed to its tourism as well as the Annapurna Region. Japanese monk Kawaguchi visited Pokhara on his way to Tibet in 1899. The arrival of Kawaguchi and Herzog was the first step in the beginning of the Annapurna region’s popularity in tourism. Though the development pace was slow, it is an undeniable fact that the Pokhara and Annapurna region’s significance flourished to national and international tourists.
Different statistics conducted during different decades showed great progress in the influx of visitors. It results in a tourism boost in Pokhara and Annapurna Region. Notably after 1990, tourism in Pokhara sky-rocketed after tourism development and commercialization. From the 1990s to the present, the tourism industry in Pokhara and Annapurna regions encountered obstacles like political instability, natural disasters, international conflicts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite all these setbacks, Pokhara and Annapurna Region is still a popular tourist hub. It only needs a boost to regain its popularity and reclaim its spot.
Some prominent figures in the past who have visited Pokhara and Gandaki Province are Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (1961), Indian President Radhakrishnan (1963), UK Prince Harry (2015), President of Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Hamid (2016). Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Muktinath in 2018. These visits have also boosted tourism development. The global figures’ visit have undoubtedly created an interest in these places in the international arena as well.
Recently, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s visit revives Annapurna Region’s popularity. It is a much-needed boost for the tourism sector of Pokhara and Annapurna Region. The locals as well as government officials are delighted with the visit of António Guterres. They all believed that Guterres’s visit had drawn the world’s focus to Pokhara and the Annapurna Base Camp. It is a significant milestone to attract numerous visitors from around the globe and to uplift the tourism sector. They all have taken this visit as a positive sign and are hopeful that Annapurna Region and Pokhara’s popularity will rise high in the near future.
Photo Courtesy: Online Khabar and Ratopati
