Tourist arrivals increase in Rasuwa

RASUWA, March 15: The number of domestic tourists visiting the Himalayan region of Rasuwa has gradually increased.

Domestic tourists have recently begun to arrive in Gosainkunda, a religious and tourist area where only external tourists come to see the mountains, as well as Kangjen in Langtang, Gatlang, and Nakathali along the Tamang heritage route.

According to the Langtang National Park office in Rasuwa, 12,680 domestic tourists have arrived since last July, with more than 20 arriving every day.

The hotel business, which began in Kangzen in Langtang in 2035 with the goal of providing food and lodging for foreign tourists who had arrived in the Himalayan region, is now operating at various locations along the trekking routes. According to local Langtang residents, the first tourism businessman, Renjen Dorje Tamang Jangwa, started a hotel and lodge from Chauri shed.

From July to the end of January, 4,950 people visited the park's Himalayan area, including 245 from SAARC countries and 4,750 from other countries, according to Pramod Bhattarai, the park's chief conservation officer. According to him, a total of 1 crore 80 lakh 20 thousand 664 rupees has been earned from tourist entrance fees as well as other activities in the park area.

Sunil Raut, the park's forest technician, reported that the park had collected Rs.1 crore 75 lakh 23 thousand six hundred rupees 14.

Domestic tourism has increased significantly since the earthquake of 2072, and if this trend continues, tourism professionals predict that the number of tourists will exceed 20,000 annually in the future.

According to Ramsharan Gajurel, District President of the Hoteliers' Association, more than 300 small and large tourist hotels are operating in various locations throughout North Rasuwa to provide quality accommodation for tourists.

Similarly, the number of passengers using helicopters to view the Himalayan heritage from the sky and bath at Gosainkunda's holy shrine has gradually increased. According to the Gosainkunda Regional Development Committee, senior citizens can easily travel to the holy shrine for bathing and worship because most airlines offer helicopter flights.

In addition to the increased income from the helicopter company, revenue from the landing fee has been flowing into the state fund. According to the National Park Office, nine different passenger helicopter companies paid 967,650 rupees for the Kathmandu-Gosainkunda flight-landing fee last year.

It is said that from last July to the middle of December, revenue of 252 thousand rupees has been collected from five companies and the companies tthat the companies that do not file the revenue are being warned.