Tourists' arrival in off-season elates tourism entrepreneurs in Sauraha

CHITWAN, July 31: Hotel entrepreneurs in Sauraha are elated with the rising inflow of tourists in the district despite increasing risks in the travel during rainy season. July and August are considered off-season in terms of the inflow of tourists.

Due to shrinking business in the rainy season, the hotel staff were also encouraged to stay on leave in previous years. However, the increasing flow of domestic and foreign tourists in the off-season this time has elated tourism entrepreneurs. 

According to Regional Hotel Association Chitwan Chairperson Ganga Giri, on an average daily 1000-1200 tourists are arriving in Sauraha in this season. Half of them are foreigners with a dominant number of Chinese tourists. There are 125 hotels in Sauraha having the capacity to accommodate 6,200 people. The increasing rise in the arrival of tourists in the off-season has excited tourism entrepreneurs here, he said. Daily 100 plus tourists are enjoying elephant riding in Sauraha, according to Rishi Tiwari, chairman of the United Elephant Operators' Cooperative organization. The number of tourists arriving in Sauraha is higher than it was in previous years.

Former chairman of the Regional Hotel Association, Suman Ghimire said the arrival of tourists is satisfactory despite bad road conditions and has made entrepreneurs hopeful for the rebound of the tourism industry in Nepal.