Hoteliers in Chitwan are encouraged by an increased flow of tourists both from home and abroad despite monsoon challenges.
According to entrepreneurs, the tourist arrivals at Sauraha, Patihani, Jagatpur, Meghauli and other major tourist sites in the district have increased compared to the previous years. They believe that the influx of domestic tourists increased due to the provision of a two-day public holiday in a week.
Likewise, the flow of Chinese and Indian tourists has also risen significantly.
According to Regional Hotel Association's General Secretary, Mahesh Khanal, the number of domestic tourists has increased by around 25 percent compared to the corresponding period last year following the implementation of two-day holidays in a week.
Holidays in schools and colleges have also contributed to making the domestic tourism vibrant, he said, adding currently, the overall hotel occupancy in the district has reached around 50 percent. Khanal, however, admitted that the condition of road infrastructures has encouraged some aspiring tourists from home and abroad to divert their destinations.
Similarly, until a few years ago, some hotels in Sauraha used to remain shut during the rainy season. But, with the expansion of the hotel business in recent years, market promotion has also started targeting the rainy season.
In view of Suman Ghimire, former president of the Regional Hotel Association Chitwan and central member of the Hotel Association Nepal, the two-day holiday in a week has caused a direct benefit for hotels.
Sauraha is home to 141 hotels. Luxury hotels are available in Patihani, Jagatpur and Meghauli in west Chitwan. These hotels have a total accommodation capacity of 10,000 guests per day.
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