Recapping a harrowing year for tourism sector

Kathmandu, April 9

Nepali year 2072 BS was a harrowing year for tourism, a sector considered to be one of the pillars of the nation’s economy.

The April 25 (Baisakh 12) earthquake followed by the big aftershock of May 12 and the border blockade after the promulgation of the new constitution resulted in a major domino effect to shrink the tourism business in Nepal.

It was not only tourism entrepreneurs, but the entire economy that underwent one of the toughest times this Nepali year. Baisakh (mid-April to mid-May), which is considered the most appropriate time for climbing and trekking,

was affected by the disaster which reduced tourism activities to a virtual halt.

Nepal’s natural, cultural and geographical diversity is globally renowned and is the major lure for foreign tourists. Apart from trekking, Nepal has plenty of places with historical and archaeological significance. However, due to the disaster, the tourists who were here had to cut their stay short and foreign arrivals saw a massive decline.

Owing to the earthquakes, mountain climbing came to a complete halt. Similarly, the famous trekking routes of Annapurna and Manaslu were closed. Mountaineering is the sector which generates the most revenue in tourism. With the mountaineering industry taking a hit, it inflicted a huge loss on the country’s revenue.

Just when the sector was recovering from the quakes, the border blockade following the promulgation of the constitution dealt another major blow. The blockade obstructed entire economic activities, causing a severe dent in the country’s industries and the economy as a whole.

Despite this, tourism entrepreneurs lately have been elated with the visit of UK’s Prince Harry. Harry’s visit has been successful in spreading the message that Nepal is now safe.

As a result, tourist arrivals are gradually increasing and hotel occupancy is growing.

In a bid to attract Chinese tourists, the government has decided to grant free visas to Chinese nationals — effective from New Year 2016.