GHOREPANI (MYAGDI), July 20: With the increase in demand for Internet facilities, mostly by Chinese tourists, most of the hotels in the Annapurna Region now have Wi-Fi Internet.
Hotels and lodges at as high as Annapurna Base Camp have Internet facilities, according to trekking operators. "Chinese tourists generally prefer short treks of five to seven days. They go up to Poon Hill. As Chinese tourists do not enter into hotels and restaurants without Wi-Fi facility, almost all the hotels and lodges have Internet facility," Hari Bhujel, second vice president of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal-Western Regional Association (TAAN-WRA) and managing director of Peace Eye Treks and Expedition, said.Of around 120 hotels and lodges along the trail, 90 have Internet facilities. There are 24 hotels in Ghandruk, six in Tadapani, 29 in Ghorepani, eight in Ulleri, eight in Tikedhunga, 15 in Chomrong, six in Sinuwa, five in Bamboo, three in Dovan, three in Himalaya, four in Deurali, five in Machhapuchre Base Camp and four in Annapurna Base Camp.
All the hotels in Ghandruk, Tadhapani, Ghorepani, Ulleri, Tikedhunga and Chomrong have Internet facility.
"Chinese trekkers first ask whether or not we have Wi-Fi. They do not even enter our hotel if we do not have Wi-Fi," Man Bahadur Chhetri, owner of Hotel Panorama Point at Tadapani, said.
Local hoteliers have to spend around Rs 25,000 to install Internet facility. They have to pay around Rs 3,500 every month. Hoteliers, however, are not aware about the speed of Internet that they provide to their guests.
Raj Kumar Pun, proprietor of Hotel Four Seasons and Restaurant at Ulleri, said that he neither knows the name of the company from where he has taken the service nor have any idea about Internet speed. "The company told us that the speed is sufficient for large group of 15 to 20 people," said Pun, adding that it is a compulsion to have Wi-Fi these days.
Local hotels provide Internet service to Nepalis free of cost. Foreign trekkers, however, are charged Rs 100 per night.
Nepal Wireless Networking Project of Mahabir Pun, Goreto and Nepal Telecom (ADSL Internet) are the major internet service providers in the region.
"Mobile network in trekking routes is very poor. However, good Internet facility is helping people to connect with their families back home and upload pictures of their trip on Facebook and other social media. This is why trekkers look for hotels with Internet facility," Ram Pun, proprietor of Peace and Excellent View Lodge at Ghorepani, said.
Prakash Bastakoti, founder of Apex Asia Travel and Trekking, said local hotels have been providing Internet facility for the past three years after Chinese tourists started going on short treks.
According to local hoteliers, Chinese trekkers go up to Poon Hill only and return to Pokhara.
The number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal has been increasing significantly since 2011. A total of 123,805 Chinese visited Nepal in 2014 up from 113,173 in 2013. In 2012 and 2011, Nepal had welcomed 71,861 and 61,917 tourists from China, respectively.
Improved connectivity with Chinese cities has contributed in growth of Chinese tourists in Nepal, according to tourism entrepreneurs. Four Chinese airlines -- Air China, China Eastern and China Southern and Sichuan Airlines -- link Kathmandu with major Chinese cities. Nepali carrier Himalaya Airlines is planning to launch service to different Chinese cities soon.