Nepal’s tourism sector paralyzed as flood aftermath hits peak travel season

KATHMANDU — Nepal’s tourism industry is facing a severe downturn as the peak travel season begins, overshadowed by the aftermath of catastrophic floods that struck the Himalayan nation last month. The disaster claimed more than 1,450 lives and destroyed critical infrastructure, including key highways, dealing a heavy blow to a sector that contributes nearly 8 percent to the country’s gross domestic product and employs over one million people.

Pushpraj Rimal, a 42-year-old tour planner and taxi driver in Kathmandu, described the current climate as resembling a lockdown. Despite September traditionally marking the start of a business boom, Rimal reported a surge in cancellations from international visitors. Working on commission for hotels and trekking agencies in Kathmandu and Pokhara, he noted that he has achieved only a quarter of his usual seasonal revenue.

“I had rented two cars for two months, but I have done one fourth of the business I usually do in a season,” Rimal said. The financial strain is personal; he now faces breaking a promise to his two children, aged 14 and 12, to buy them tablets for the upcoming Hindu festival of Dussein in October.

The floods, triggered by a glacial mountain collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, have deterred travelers not only from affected zones but also from regions that remained physically untouched. Seeta Nepali, 61, and her husband Ramakant, 68, sell homemade buttermilk and cottage cheese to travelers on the highway linking Kathmandu to popular tourist destinations like Pokhara and Chitwan. Although their town was not flooded, the couple earned nothing for 11 days while roads were blocked. Even after partial reopening, they report earning only a quarter of their normal income due to the scarcity of buyers.

International travelers have been equally hesitant. Alexa, a British national visiting with five friends, canceled a planned trip to Pokhara and Dhulikhel after learning of the disaster on August 26. A Japanese father of two cited similar concerns, noting that washed-out roads were secondary to fears regarding the environment and potential health risks from stranded remains.

While some travelers, like Tapas Kumar from India, modified their itineraries to stay in Kathmandu instead of traveling to Pokhara, many others canceled entirely after reviewing travel advisories. The UK and US embassies issued warnings in September citing unstable terrain and designating no-travel zones, though the Indian embassy urged caution against misinformation.

Pramila Chhetri, who manages a resort in Chitwan, stated that 80 percent of her September reservations were cancelled within hours because the main highway was closed for nearly two weeks. She expressed frustration that many travelers misunderstood safety advisories as blanket bans on visiting Nepal. “Even parts unaffected by the floods are bracing for a disastrous season,” Chhetri said.

As the government works to assess the full economic impact, small business owners remain on the brink. Seeta Nepali described reducing her lunches to flattened rice and buttermilk due to the drastic drop in income, waiting daily for tourists who have yet to return in significant numbers.