BHAIRAHAWA, Feb 5: The widespread outbreak of coronavirus in China has affected the tourism industry in Nepal. Advance booking and hotel packages are being canceled by Chinese tourists due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Hotels in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, and Bhairahawa have witnessed cancellation of hotel booking from the Chinese tourists. According to Yadav Prasad Pandey, director of The Peak Bodhi Redsun Hotel, February is good season for tourism but the arrival of tourists is very low this season. “Chinese groups have started to cancel advance booking. There were 12 advance booking in February but were canceled due to the outbreak of coronavirus in China. Tourists from other countries have also canceled the booking, this is a negative sign in the initial phase of the tourist season,” said Pandey.
Likewise, according to Luxury International Nirvana Hotel, eight Chinese groups have canceled booking for February. Not only Chinese tourists but one group of South Korean tourists has also canceled the booking due to the coronavirus.
Pokhara hoteliers report huge booking cancellations
According to Mithun Man Shrestha, chairperson of Lumbini Hotel Association, the number of Chinese tourists has decreased in Lumbini due to the coronavirus.
Along with Lumbini, the effect is also seen in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara. According to Chandra Prakash Shrestha, regional member of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), the outbreak of coronavirus in China is likely to affect the tourism industry in the country.
The number of foreign tourists who arrive from the Belahiya border point to visit Lumbini has also declined in January. 11,759 international tourists arrived in Lumbini from Belahiya in January.
According to the Lumbini Development Trust, 13,107 international tourists, 13,978 Indian tourists and 67,942 Nepali tourists have visited Lumbini in January of 2020 which is 48,060 less than last year.
According to Sanjay Bajimaya, a tourism entrepreneur, inconvenience due to construction of the Bhairahawa-Lumbini road and the recent outbreak of coronavirus in China have affected tourist arrivals in Lumbini.
