25 per cent tourism workers return to work

Pokhara, August 2

After relaxation of the lockdown to contain COVID-19, normalcy is beginning to return in the tourism sector with workers in this sector starting to return to work after four months of shutdown.

Pokhara Tourism Council said 25 per cent workers associated with the tourism industry returned to work after tourism businesses opened here. The government had allowed the re-opening of tourism sector two days ago.

The council’s Vice-Chair Gopi Bhattarai said, “Tourism industry resumed business after a long period. The industry, however, has not resumed full fledged operation.”

Hotel and restaurants, trekking shops and travel agencies are open here. In the initial stage, only 25 per cent employees could join work, but workers will return to normal duty after the industry gains pace, he added.

It is estimated that tourism industry in Pokhara has employed 30,000 people.

Hotel, trekking and travel agencies, paragliding, ultra-light flights, embroidery, tourist transportation and rural tourism are the job creating areas.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 2, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.