By Prakash Chandra Bhattarai
Damauli, Sept. 10: Bandipur, perhaps the main tourist spot in Tanahun district and one of the prime attractions outside the Kathmandu Valley after Chitwan and Pokhara, wears a deserted look these days. COVID-19 and the ensuing national and local lockdowns have decimated the tourism sector of the country and a desolate Bandipur bears testament to it.
According to Bainsa Gurung, former chairman of the Bandipur Development Committee and current chairman of the Bandipur Market Unit of Tanahun Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there have been no tourist arrivals since early March.
“In previous years, the month of September would have been the peak tourist season in Bandipur. Many domestic and foreign travellers come to Bandipur after the end of the monsoon and before the beginning of winter,” Gurung said, adding, “But this year, the town is empty.”
Gurung informed that more 4,000 people used to visit Bandipur on public holidays during the tourist season before the pandemic.
Even the nationwide lockdown ended more than a month ago and the prohibitory order imposed by the local Gaunpalika ended on Monday, Bandipur has still not been able to welcome guests because the government has not yet opened the hospitality and tourism sector, said Purna Singh Thapa, chairman of Bandipur Gaunpalika.
But businesses here are using the closure as an opportunity. They are preparing for the future influx of tourists and many hoteliers have renovated their old buildings.
“We are ready to welcome travellers as soon as the government decides to resume with tourism,” Gurung, who also operates a hotel in town, said.
Hotelier Sanat Kumar Shrestha said that the businesses were more than willing to abide by the government’s health protocols. He also acknowledged that the possibility of foreign tourists coming was slim and hence, stressed that Bandipur could cater to Nepali tourists just as well. “Bandipur can be considered as a safe destination as there is no community transmission of the coronavirus here,” Shrestha said.
However, Gurung worried that many enterprises would shut down completely if the restrictions went on for longer. “The landlords ask for rent and businesses have no income to pay them with. The chamber of commerce has coordinated with them to ease the rent burden for now. But landlords are also facing financial difficulties so they may start asking for rents again,” he said.
Tourism is the lifeblood of Bandipur’s economy and its absence has severely affected the livelihoods of the people. But still, Chairman Thapa said that there had been no discussion on the issue at the local level. “We can’t decide on anything as this is a national issue,” he said. “Our local actions will also mean very little as this is something that needs to be solved by a national-level policy.”
Thapa explained that he proposed the development of agro-tourism as a potential path for businesses to move forward.