Kathmandu, Aug. 13 -- Hundreds of thousands of international tourists used to visit Nepal every year, drawn by adventure sports options available in scenic Pokhara. Besides climbing, rafting bungee and zipline, the most popular wasparaglidingfrom Sarangkot.

Before Covid-19, there would be hundereds of paragliders soaring above Phewa Lake all day amidst the stunning backdrop of the Annapurnas, Machapuchre, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri. Pokhara had also become the venue for international sporting events such as the Paragliding World Cup Asian Tour.

However, Pokhara's days as an aerial sports hub is numbered with the much-delayed airport coming into operation next year. Most companies offering paragliding and ultralight flights will have to relo...