Domestic tourists decreased in Lumbini

KATHMANDU, Dec 13:Domestic tourists visit Lumbini in small numbers. In November of last year, 85,857 tourists from Nepal visited Lumbini. Before Covid, 127,000 domestic tourists visited in November 2019. 42,000 tourists are still less than four years ago.

October is one of the best months to visit Lumbini. A total of 11,70,000 domestic tourists visited Lumbini in 2019. Only about 6 lakh tourists are expected this year. In the 11 months up to last November, 5,46,863 domestic visitors visited Lumbini. If we include the number of tourists who arrived in December, it could be somewhat more than 6 lakh.

Corona infection was first detected in China in December 2019. It had a global influence at the start of 2020. Due to the impact of Covid, the general tourism sector of the country, including Lumbini, had grown weak by 2021. In 2022, life returned to normal when the Corona effect vanished. However, Lumbini's tourism industry has yet to resume its usual pace. The fundamental cause for Lumbini's inability to resume its tourism arrivals rhythm is the poor condition of the Butwal-Narayangadh road under the East-West Highway.

In April , 2019, the foundation stone was set to widen the Butwal Narayangadh road to four lanes. According to the contract, despite numerous extensions, the work that was supposed to be completed in three years has not been completed. Tourists visiting Lumbini have been impacted by the chaos on the Butwal Narayangadh route. 

Domestic tourists from Kathmandu and the east flock to Lumbini. "Very few people have come because of the poor condition of the road. The cause for the slow growth of domestic tourism in Lumbini is also the country's economic downturn.

In 2019, there were 266,000 Indian tourists in Lumbini. So far this year, 2,19,161 Indians have visited Lumbini. The Butwal Narayangarh road problem will not affect border Indian tourism. But along with domestic tourists, many tourists from third countries also use the Butwal Narayanghat road. For the same reason, the flow of tourists from other countries to Lumbini has not resumed.