Nepal is urging international travellers to continue visiting the country despite devastating floods that have affected several parts of the country, saying most tourism destinations remain safe, accessible and open.
Nepal’s parliamentary tourism committee has called on the government and industry leaders to move beyond reassurances and implement a concrete strategy to rebuild international trust in the country’s travel sector, following the recent Bhotekoshi–Trishuli floods.
The Rasuwa flood has caused more than Rs 50 billion in preliminary damage to Nepal’s tourism sector, including damage to 142 hotels, 57 restaurants and 141 tourism-related vehicles, Tourism Minister Khadak Raj Paudel said on Wednesday.
A pre-dawn flood swept away two bridges in Gorkha, while a landslide has disrupted the Tsum Valley trail, prompting authorities and TAAN to urge trekkers to delay their journeys
Upper Mustang remains open to tourists following a 5.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Lo Manthang on Tuesday night, with roads, trekking trails, hotels and communication services reported to be operating normally.
Trekkers heading towards Samagaon and Larkya Pass can resume their journeys in the Manaslu region after local residents built an alternative trail and wooden bridge at Therang Khola in Namrung, Gorkha.
Nepal’s tourism industry is facing cancellations in destinations untouched by the August 26 flash floods, prompting the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) to urge travel businesses and media to distinguish between affected areas and the rest of the country.
Nepal's major trekking destinations remain largely safe for visitors despite disruptions to several access routes following the August 26 flash floods, according to the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN).
The Nepal Tourism Board has opened applications for its chief executive officer (CEO), seeking candidates with at least a decade of experience in the tourism sector as the board looks for its next executive head.