Chitwan, Chaitra 31(April 13): Tourists have started coming to the tourist areas of the district to celebrate the Nepali New Year. Along with domestic tourists, foreign tourists have started coming. The number of tourists in the Sauraha region, which has been low for a long time, has been increasing in recent days.
Businessmen expect all hotels to be filled by this evening. According to Om Prakash Pandey, Chairman of the Regional Hotel Association Sauraha, the number of tourists coming to celebrate the New Year is increasing. However, some impact has been seen in the tourism sector due to the curfew in Birgunj and other protests. In addition, there will be an impact due to the roads, he said.
He said, “Despite various factors, hotels in Sauraha are full on New Year’s Eve.” In previous years, tourists had to return on the eve of the New Year without finding a room. He said that such a situation will not occur this year. The arrival of tourists in Sauraha had been decreasing since Magh.
Vice-chairman of the association, Gunaraj Thapaliya, said that some hotels have been full since Friday and the current booking is good. He said, “My hotel has been full for a few days, and my friends have also said that booking is getting better.” However, he said that the arrival of tourists is less compared to the past.
He said that the arrival of tourists is gradually increasing because it falls on Friday and Saturday. Former president of the association Suman Ghimire said that the arrival of tourists is increasing because of the school holidays and Friday-Saturday. He said, “All hotels in Sauraha are full by the evening.”
Stating that the Restaurant and Bar Association has organized a cultural program in Sauraha this evening, he said that many Nepalis have come to enjoy the New Year. Prakash Neupane, General Manager of Hotel Siddhartha Villasa Banvas, said that 34 rooms of the hotel were fully booked from Friday to Tuesday.
He said that more than half of the tourists who came were foreigners. Many tourists have come from countries including Poland, China, India. He said, “Just because there are no rooms in hotels during the New Year does not mean there is no leisure.” He said that although the arrival of tourists is less at other times, it is full during this time.
The Jungle Crown Hotel has also been full for a few days. According to the hotel’s general manager Santosh Giri, the number of tourists has been good at the hotel for the past two months. All the rooms have been filled since Saturday. He said that the number of tourists will increase as it is the ‘season’ now.
General Secretary of the Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN) Sauraha, Naveen Nepal, said that a special New Year program has been organized this evening. According to him, the number of tourists is expected to be significant as there will be performances by renowned artists. Nepal said that the program has been targeted at Nepali tourists as it is the Nepali New Year. He said, “There are also tourists who return after enjoying themselves in Sauraha until late in the evening.”
With the beginning of the New Year, tourists who come to Sauraha take elephant, jeep, foot, and boat rides in the Chitwan National Park and the buffer community forest. Sauraha is a world-famous tourist destination for jungle safaris.
