Hotels in major tourist destinations typically experience a surge in business during the New Year, but Sauraha, Chitwan, saw a different trend this year.
Tourist arrivals in Sauraha, a popular wildlife tourism destination, were significantly lower than expected by local entrepreneurs.
“It wasn’t as crowded as in previous years,” said Suman Ghimire, former president of the Regional Hotel Association, speaking to the state-owned news agency RSS. He noted that this year marked the lowest arrivals since he entered the tourism sector 14 years ago.
“Most rooms remained vacant,” Ghimire added, attributing the decline to disruptions in the road networks connecting the district to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Butwal, the ongoing economic downturn, and a lack of new programs to attract and retain visitors.
Entrepreneurs said that aside from the Elephant Festival, held a few days earlier, there were no major events for the New Year. While many domestic tourists arrived, only a few chose to stay in hotels.
Santosh Giri, general manager of Jungle Crown Hotel, suggested that children’s exams may have led families to shorten their travel plans.
Sauraha’s main attraction is jungle safaris. Deependra Khatiwada, president of the United Elephant Operators' Cooperative, said that in previous years, a single elephant would typically conduct up to five jungle safaris a day. However, this year, the same elephant completed around three, reflecting the significant decline in tourist numbers.
Gunaraj Thapaliya, general secretary of the Regional Hotel Association, echoed concerns about the lack of accessibility, stating, “With some roads under construction, some closed, and no flights available, how are tourists supposed to arrive?”
Sauraha, home to around 160 hotels, is known for jeep, boat, and elephant safaris in Chitwan National Park and nearby areas.
RSS
