Kolkata: Following violent protests in Nepal resulting in the death of 19 people, tour operators in West Bengal are fearing loss and cancellation of bookings to the South Asian country ahead of the festive season.
Tour operators fear that many tourists may cancel their trip to Nepal during Durga puja vacation in view of the current unrest in the neighbouring country.
Speaking to IANS, chairman of the Association of Tourism Service Providers of Bengal, Samar Ghosh said they are already receiving calls from tourists expressing concern over their planned visit to Nepal.
“Many people are calling us. They are concerned about their safety and security. If the situation continues, then they will be forced to cancel their bookings. This would result in a loss. The peak season to visit Nepal is from November to January. We want the unrest to end. Because cancellation in the peak season means tour operators will incur massive financial loss.”
Following the violent protests, the Nepalese government lifted the ban on social media apps. The protests, led by Gen Z, turned violent, resulting in clashes with the police that led to the death of 19 people. The situation remains tense as many tour operators are monitoring the situation and even postponing the bookings.
“We are offering tourists the option of postponing the bookings made for the puja vacation. We are asking them to shift the booking to winter season. We are hopeful that normalcy will return by that time,” said another tour operator.
According to tour operators, the number of Indians, especially Bengali tourists, visiting Nepal has increased in the past two years. This year too, they have received a lot of calls for Nepal till Saturday. However, from Monday, there are hardly any inquiries for a visit to Nepal. There is a huge influx of Bengali tourists into Nepal as the state shares its border with the neighbouring country.
A member of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network said, “The situation has started changing in the last two years. Last year, a record number of Bengali tourists visited Nepal. This time, there was a good response. But Monday’s incident came as a surprise.”
(IANS)
