DHAN BASNET
POKHARA, April 21: At a time when the tourism business was about to boom following almost a year, the government has again imposed strict rules and regulations regarding the operation of hotels and restaurants in the country.
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According to tourism businessmen, the government’s directive that came with the aim of controlling the spread of the coronavirus has led to a situation of a semi-lockdown. The tourism entrepreneurs and hoteliers in Pokhara have termed the government’s directive that has affected the tourism industry adversely as a “semi-lockdown”. They also said that the government’s decision has left them worried about their businesses as the tourism sector of Pokhara had just started to stand up on its feet.
The entrepreneurs have complained that they have been severely affected by the government’s directive to close the hotels and restaurants in the country by 8 in the evening.
“The tourism sector was already severely affected,” Bikal Tulachan, president of the Western Regional Hotel Association, said, “The government’s directive has made it even more affected.” Tulachan mentioned that the hotels should be closed at 10 pm instead of 8 pm, adding that increasing the time by two hours would bring a great relief to domestic tourism.