Sauraha entrepreneurs starts Visit Sauraha campaign

CHITWAN, Oct 17: Tourism entrepreneurs in Sauraha, have started an domestic tourism promotion campaign. As Sauraha became deserted even during the festival, the businessmen started preparing for the 'Visit Sauraha (Ghumau Sauraha') campaign.

Earlier, after the lockdown due to the Corona pandemic, entrepreneur had reached the two eastern provinces with a campaign. After the campaign, the number of tourists in Sauraha had increased. This year, after the festival is over, the entrepreneur of Sauraha are preparing to reach all the seven provinces of the country by calling Sauraha again.

Deepak Bhattarai, President of Regional Hotel Association Sauraha, said that they are preparing to conduct a nationwide campaign to increase domestic tourists in Sauraha. He informed that although the plan is to reach all seven provinces of the country this year, the campaign will be conducted in five provinces in the first phase.

He said that after the lockdown due to Corona, we conducted a campaign in Province 1 and Madhesh Province and it was effective. He said that this time visit all the provinces of the country and discuss with businessmen, civil society and journalists and invite them to visit Sauraha.

According to Bhattarai, scenes of tourist activities will be shown during the campaign. He informed that the 'Visit Sauraha' campaign will be conducted to support the Bagmati Province Visit Year campaign announced by the state government.

The Bagmati State Government has already initiated the Bagmati State Visit Year by organizing a program in Sauraha itself. Bhattarai said that discount packages will also be announced during the 'Visit Sauraha' campaign.

During this time, the hotel in Sauraha was packed with tourists. Entrepreneur had a way to welcome tourists and tour the park. He said that although some activity has increased in Sauraha due to the festival, it is not satisfactory. "Now, only 20 to 30 percent of tourists have come to Sauraha, some foreign tourists too," he said. The businessmen of Sauraha expect the number of tourists to increase with the end of monsoon and the beginning of winter.

Naresh Giri, president of Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal Sauraha (REBAN), said that there has been a slight increase in the number of tourists in Sauraha and that the campaign 'Ghumau Sauraha' will increase the number of domestic tourists here. 'If it continues to grow at this rate, the flow of tourists here will be good,' he said, 'due to the election, the tourist arrival will decrease for a while, but it will increase after the election.' He said that due to the recent economic recession in the country, the tourism sector has not been able to function.

Giri said that REBAN is giving a regular 10 percent discount targeting domestic tourists coming to Sauraha. Yogesh Adhikari, director of Park Safari Resort in Sauraha, said that due to rain till Dashain, tourists could not come to Sauraha this year even during the season. He said that Nepal's tourist sector cannot return to its old rhythm until Chinese tourists come to Nepal. He says that even though the road network connecting Chitwan with other districts is not good, the tourism here has not become more sustainable.

The Narayangarh-Butwal road section is under expansion, while the Narayangarh-Mugling road section has been blocked by landslides many  times this year alone. Tourists visit Chitwan National Park to see forest, flora and fauna. One-horned rhinoceros, tigers and gharial crocodiles are the main attractions here. Here elephant safaris, boat tours, jeep safaris, walking tours of the park and intermediate areas have been taking place. There are 140 big and small hotels in Sauraha and about 100 restaurants are operating.