KATHMANDU, August 9

Vendors at the heritage sites of Kathmandu have been hit hard by fewer tourist arrivals in the post-earthquake scenario.

The vendors had started to run their stalls when the heritage sites reopened to the public in mid-June.

The Department of Archaeology and Kathmandu Metropolitan City have arranged security parameters in and around the quake-damaged heritages sites for safety of visitors.

Surendra Rai, 48, of Nuwakot currently residing at Bhimsensthan, said he reopened his handicraft stalls in Basantapur Dabali in mid-July. Rai said tourist flow has barely increased since the sites were reopened. “The tourist flow is less than expected. The months from April to August is the season when Chinese tourists throng heritage sites as per my experiences of 29 years as a handicraft vendor. But after the earthquake, only some Chinese tourists can be spotted,” he said.

Rai has managed to attract domestic customers and make ends meet, but foreign customers are out of question. “I barely make a transaction of Rs 1,000 a day now and have been forced to sell the handicraft without making a profit to Nepali customers these day,” he said.

The vendors were not allowed to run handicraft stalls in Basantapur Dabali until mid-June to provide open space for quake survivors to pitch their makeshift tents.

Shaleena Poudel, 21, of Teku, a clerk at the ticket counter in Basantapur Durbar Square, said that about only 140 to 150 foreign tourists were visiting heritage sites in a day since it reopened.

“The flow of tourists is not satisfactory. Before the quake, about 30,000 tourists used to visit the Square generating a revenue about Rs 700,000-800,000  a month,” Poudel said.

Safety helmets have been arranged for tourists taking brief tour of the damaged structures. “Despite the security parameters and safety helmets, the tourist flow has not become normal,” she added.

Chandra Shahi, 45, of Kalimati, owner of Chad’s Flag House, said trading in the Nepali flag and souvenirs had hit a snag on account of lack of tourists. She blamed the government and mainstream media for the decline in tourist visits to heritages sites. “The government has failed to reconstruct damaged structures in time.

The media outlets have scared away tourists with their negative coverage of damaged heritage sites,” he said, adding,“Tourists don’t visit heritage sites due to safety concerns raised by national and international media.”