PHUNGLING, Feb 15: The tourism business in the Kanchenjunga area is gradually coming to its previous state with an increased number of tourists arriving in recent months. A total of 439 tourists from different countries visited the region in the past four months, it is said.
Tourism activities in the region remained almost nil after COVID-19 spread.
Secretary at Kanchenjunga Conservation and Management Council Office Man Kumar Limbu said that the tourism entrepreneurs are excited after the increased number of visitors in the recent months adding that tourism is a major source of income for them.
Currently, there are more than 50 hotels, big and small, in operation along the Kanchenjunga trekking route.
Singi Namjong Hotel established with an investment of over Rs 70 million is offering services from Gyalpa village of Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-6, while four other hotels with more than Rs 10 million investment each are in operation.
Hotelier Pema Sherpa from Ghunsa said the arrival of tourists has made the entrepreneurs hopeful of their business though the pandemic time was disappointing for them.
Two trekking routes are used to reach Kanchenjunga base camp. The visitors reach the base camp along the Sirijungha Rural Municipality in Taplejung district through Ganesh Chowk of Panchthar district to climb Mt Kanchenjunga, the third tallest peak in the world.
Likewise, Kanchenjunga base camp could be reached by using the trail along the Phaktanglung Rural Municipality after landing at the Suketar Airport in Taplejung district.