Source::RSS
CHITWAN
RSS
As the ongoing pandemic continues affecting normal life and people’s mobility, Rs 30 billion plus investment made in hotels and the tourism industry in Chitwan district is at the risk.
Small and big hotels and restaurants run in the district have remained closed due to prohibitory order imposed to prevent and control coronavirus infection. Around 1,250 hotels operated at different places in the district including Sauraha and others sites are closed for almost six months now.
Bishow Subedi, a tourism researcher, said that there are 225 tourist hotels in the district and almost 50 per cent of such hotels are in Sauraha. He further said that there are 29 tourist hotels in Ratnanagar area and 65 in Bharatpur Metropolitan City.
Hotel entrepreneurs said that their daily income from additional tourist activities including jeep safari, boat safari and elephant safari was around three million.
A study shows that there are 16,000 workers in hotels and restaurants in the district and more than Rs 30 billion has been invested in this sector.
Chairperson of Regional Hotel Association of the Sauraha Chapter, Deepak Bhattarai, said that we hoped for domestic tourist flow in Chitwan district during Dashain festival. “But, now we have lost hope due to coronavirus pandemic,” he added.
Likewise, outgoing President Chairman of Regional Hotel Association, Suman Ghimire said that the hoteliers would bear huge losses if they resume their business without a favorable environment fully restored. He said that both the businesspersons and laborers were in the same boat during this sorry state. “All the laborers are laid off. Their daily life is severely affected,” Ghimire added.
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