With No Clear Plan, Nepal May Remain Closed for Tourists Until 2020-End
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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 190 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.7 C 15.0 C Wednesday, September 02, 2020 | 17-05-2077 Dhangadi Jomsom With no clear plan, Nepal may remain closed for tourists until 2020-end With the festival season approaching and a large number of Nepalis, including migrant workers, expected to return home, officials say it will be difficult to manage tourists. SANGAM PRASAIN The association said that tourism KATHMANDU, SEPT 1 related businesses have been operat- ing on a negative cash flow since late With the coronavirus spikes showing March and this is not a situation that no sign of abating anytime soon, can be sustained for long. Nepal is likely to remain shut for for- “Most indicators are that tourism’s eign tourists until the end of this year. road to recovery will be long and But as the country is bracing for a drawn out with traveller numbers major festival season, there is a high reaching 2019 levels only in 2024,” said chance of people’s movement, not just the association. “Travel industry sec- within the country but also interna- tor companies cannot be expected to tionally. sustain themselves for such a long Officials at the Tourism Ministry time without active support from the say given the festive season, which government.” will mean Nepalis in hordes will be As of Tuesday, Nepal has reported arriving, it will be difficult to manage 40,529 coronavirus cases and 239 foreign tourists in light of the rising deaths. As many as 1,069 new cases number of Covid-19 cases. were reported across the country on “We expect Nepalis, including Tuesday, with a record 481 in POST PHOTO; SANJOG MANANDHAR migrant workers, to return home Kathmandu Valley. Tuesday’s death Devotees offer prayers to the Swet Bahirava in Basantapur, Kathmandu, on Tuesday, the third day of Indra Jatra. The idol of Swet Bhairava is encased behind a lattice screen throughout the year soon,” said an official at the ministry, toll was 11. and it is opened only during the eight days of the festival. This year, the festivities were cancelled for probably the first time ever since it began in the 10th century due to the Covid-19 pandemic. who did not wish to be named. “The Even though the government decid- situation is that the country is experi- ed to lift the lockdown on July 21, the encing rapid spread of the virus.” health and foreign affairs ministries According to him, sooner or later, were not positive about opening the an announcement is likely. country for foreign tourists, according After five months, Nepal opened its to Tourism Ministry officials. skies for international flights starting “During Covid-19 Crisis Authorities’ confused response to Covid-19 Tuesday, allowing limited regular pas- Management Centre meetings, the senger and chartered flights. Only Foreign Affairs Ministry reiterates Nepalis, and diplomats and employees that it cannot afford to issue on-arriv- of development partners are allowed al visas for foreigners at this time of continues as infection cases rise by the day to fly into Nepal for now. crisis. Health Ministry officials, too, The government’s move to continue support this view saying that it’s not with restrictions on foreign holiday- an appropriate time to host tourists,” Chief district officers of the Valley are not sure of the next move as curbs imposed since August 19 midnight end today. makers even after resuming interna- a tourism ministry official said on tional flights has renewed worries of condition of anonymity because he is TIKA R PRADHAN & ARJUN have been in place since August 19 midnight will end travel trade entrepreneurs. not allowed to speak to the media. 9 0 , 0 0 0 8 KATHMANDU, SEPT 1 8 5, 30 8 on Wednesday midnight. In a statement on Sunday, the Nepal At a time when the pandemic has 7. 6 3 “Actually, we are for continuing with the ongoing Association Tour Operators called on upended daily life across the globe, 8 0 , 0 0 0 7 .5 The rising number of coronavirus cases has thrown 78 , 2 1 7 restrictions, at least for one more week, but with the government to quickly come travel and tourism industries world- government authorities into a tizzy. 7 easing of some other services besides the essential up with a plan to save the 1.05 wide are struggling, and the situation 7 0 , 0 0 0 With 1,069 new cases in the last 24 hours, the 6 7, 1 1 2 ones,” said Humkala Pande, chief district officer of million jobs which are in danger of is no different in Nepal, say industry national Covid-19 tally on Tuesday reached 40,529. 6 .5 Bhaktapur. “It, however, is up to the Home Ministry.” being lost, some permanently, in the insiders. Kathmandu Valley reported a record 481 new cases– 6 0 , 0 0 0 Chief districts of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and tourism industry. >> Continued on page 2 393 in Kathmandu, 58 in Lalitpur and 30 in Bhaktapur, 52 , 0 8 5 6 Bhaktapur on Tuesday afternoon held discussions 5. 78 according to the Health Ministry. 50 , 0 0 0 on the next move, according to Pande. Valley’s chief district officers, who have been 5.5 “We also discussed the ways to address difficulties 4 0 , 334 granted powers by the federal government to take 4 0 , 0 0 0 faced by the public due to the prohibitory orders.” 4 . 97 measures to contain the virus, now are confused 5 The existing prohibitory orders entail a ban on 4 . 6 9 about the next step, as the prohibitory orders that 30 , 0 0 0 public and vehicular movements and opening of 4 .5 shops and business, except those which provide 2 0 , 0 0 0 essential services. However, after increased 4 public activities–to buy vegetables and other stuff–during the first week of prohibitory orders, the 1 0 , 0 0 0 3. 4 6 3.5 4 932 5973 3337 district administrators clamped down on public 1 397 2 4 4 3 0 3 movements and asked shops to open only until nine in the morning. A U G 1 - 7 The virus has not slowed down though. A U G 8 - 1 4 J u l y 2 5 - 31 A U G 2 2 - 2 8 A U G 1 5 - 2 1 Data from the Health Ministry on Covid-19 cases Percent positive Weekly PCR tests Weekly cases and tests performed at various laboratories show POST GRAPHICS that there has been a gradual rise in the percent-pos- The percent positive rate, which tells the level of virus itive rate across the country since the lockdown was POST FILE PHOTO transmission and if enough tests are being done, has been lifted on July 21. Continued restrictions on foreign holidaymakers even after resuming international flights on the rise. >> Continued on page 2 have renewed worries of travel trade entrepreneurs. C M Y K WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 02, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL With no clear plan, Nepal may Food shortage looms large in Mugu, remain closed for tourists ... >> Continued from page 1 which prompted airlines to jack up airfares However, they have been calling on the gov- due to limited availability of seats. The Dolpa districts of Karnali Province ernment to at least come up with some Cabinet meeting on Sunday decided to work plan for the road to recovery. increase this to 800 individuals. “Most of the countries are clear regard- “Flights have been increased keeping in The Food Management and Trading Company Limited could not transport food to Mugu due to the nationwide ing the timetable to open up for tourists, mind particularly foreign companies send- and that assures the travel trade industry to ing Nepali workers to Nepal at their own lockdown and the disruption of Namga-Gamgadhi road by floods and landslides. be well prepared,” said Ashok Pokhrel, expenses,” said Lamichanne. “Such compa- president of Nepal Association Tour nies have to request Nepal beforehand to RAJ BAHADUR SHAHI IN MUGU Chharkatangsong rural municipal- Operators, the umbrella organisation rep- operate the flights required to repatriate & HARI GAUTAM IN RUKUM (WEST) ities are compelled to buy rice in resenting tour operators. “But in our case, Nepali migrant workers.” SEPT 1 the market at a high price, as there decisions have been made without enough Travel and tourism operators say they is no food at the depot. thought.” are hoping that the government will come Kaushila Rokaya of Soru Rural The District Food Management The Indonesian island of Bali recently up with something, given how the economy Municipality Ward No.6 in Mugu Committee in Dolpa had allocated announced that it will not open to has taken a beating. walked for two days to reach the 3,000 quintals of foodgrains for foreign tourists this year due to The tourism sector contributes around 8 depot of Food Management and upper Dolpa last year. But the food coronavirus concerns. percent to the economy and provides jobs to Trading Company Limited in company has yet to transport the Similarly, Thailand has announced around a million of people. Gamgadhi, the district headquar- food. restricting tourists to many major sights in A study entitled Rapid Assessment of the ters, last week. She walked all the “Last fiscal year ended without the country until 2021. However, last week, Social and Economic Impacts of Covid-19, way there to buy rice since the us receiving even a single sack of Thailand announced it hopes to allow limit- commissioned by the UN Development shops in her village had run out of rice.