BMD

Even amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the possible threat of yet another fatal Nipah Virus, Nepal’s tourism industry is now struggling for its recovery with the start of autumn that is its peak season.
The country has lately begun welcoming few international trekkers and mountaineers. Some major tourist destinations such as Pokhara, Annapurna Region, Khumbu Region, Chitwan, Lumbini, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel have started seeing both domestic as well as international tourists. Many climbers have left for Manaslu Base Camp and Dhaulagiri Base Camp while several others have already reached there to attempt those peaks.

All the tourist destinations within the country had remained high and dry after the emergence of COVID-19. Tens of thousands of people involved in this sector had to lose their jobs as well as other sources of livelihood to the pandemic. However, hotels, lodges, and other hospitality service providers like destination management companies, airlines, tourist vehicle operators, among others, are now be resuming their businesses with the gradual increase in the mobility of tourists. If this trend continues, tourism is expected to revive gradually from this season.

The arrival of tourists has brought a lot of cheers to all the tourism stakeholders. Some tourists are now seen strolling around Thamel as well. Despite being a key tourist hub in Kathmandu, Thamel wore a dejected look for months in the absence of tourists. All the tourism-related activities there had come to a grinding halt. Tourism entrepreneurs there were in a state of dilemma due to the unprecedented impact of the global public health crisis on their business.

As the country has reported a remarkable fall in daily COVID-19 infections and deaths over some weeks, the government has eased restrictions. Most sectors have now been open. The vaccination against this contagion has also been in progress with the government importing more doses of different COVID vaccines. As of now, around 19 per cent of the total population in the country has received the life-saving jabs. The government aims to vaccinate one-third of citizens against the viral disease by mid-October.

In main tourist destinations across the country, most frontline workers in hotels, vehicle drivers as well as other people involved in this industry have already been vaccinated against COVID-19. This shows that the country is now much safer for tourists to travel.

Despite this, the government has yet to lift restrictions like quarantine requirements. It now needs to step up necessary measures to facilitate this potential sector to revive. Tourism stakeholders have called on the authorities to issue on-arrival visa to fully vaccinated travellers and those with PCR-negative reports. They have also called for removing the provision of quarantine for tourists.
Tourism is undoubtedly a sensitive but resilient sector. It can revive faster than other sectors once proper policies are in place. When the government and the private sector work together and take proper decision, it may have positive repercussions for the upcoming spring.

The government needs to ease rules and come up with a policy of allowing the fully vaccinated tourists to travel across the country without any obstruction. However, a strict monitoring is essential as the virus resurge risk has yet to be over. The government should also announce that Nepal is now safe for tourists to travel. With her unrivalled tourist attractions ranging from the culture to nature, hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers from around the world are enthusiastic to come here.