Chitwan Hotel and Restaurants face investment crisis worth 30 billions

Sauraha: Chitwan Hotels and Restaurants (small and big) have started facing their  investment crisis worth 30 billions following curfew orders issued due to outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Sauraha, which is considered to be the third tourist hub in the country has more than 1250 hotels and restaurants which are shut down these days after no domestic and foreign tourists arrived for fear of Coronavirus.

According to Bishwa Subedi who pursues study of the tourism sector says that  the district of Chitwan has 225 hotels of which most are located at Sauraha of Ratnanagar. Sauraha alone has 110 hotels while Ratnanagar has around 29 hotels.

Also, there are 65 tourist hotels at Bharatpur Metropolis, 2 hotels at Kalika, 3 hotels at Khaireni, 3 hotels at Madi, 3 hotels at Rapti municipality and 11 hotels at Iccha rural municipality said Subedi. A business transactions worth 10 million rupees was usually done daily in these hotels added Subedi.

Besides this, other tourism related activities such as Jeep Safari, Jungle Safari, Elephant Safari, Bus services worth 3 million used to be transacted daily when the tourists used to come here in plenty according to the local tourism operators.

Around 16000 hotels workers were engaged in these hotels and restaurants and an investment worth 30 billions is invested in these hotels and restaurants of which more than 40% is banking loan said Subedi.

All hotels and restaurants are worried for not being able to welcome the tourists even during the peak season for fear of Coronavirus and lock down in the country which has posed great risk and crisis for these hotels and restaurant owners and the workers associated with these hotels and restaurants have not been paid their emoluments said Subedi.