Tourism business reviving in Nepal: Entrepreneur

Nepali tourism business, which witnessed lean days in the past, is gradually rising, a tourism entrepreneur said Monday in Kathmandu.

"Although, immediate impact of the political change in tourism sector has not seen for the moment, positive signs are already being felt," Shyam Mohan Shrestha, owner of Mirabel Resort nestled at the scenic hills of Dhulikhel town of central Kavre district, told Xinhua.

Referring to the activities at his own resort located some 50 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu, Shrestha said that there has been a steady rise in the number of people who have been going there for excursion and seminars in the past few days.

Tourists were seen moving around the four-star facility resort on Monday morning and bookings were all filled in the rooms.

The turn out of tourists at the resort was encouraging, Shrestha noted, adding, "A total of 11 guests checked out Monday, however, more than 11 new guests have already booked the rooms so far."

Nepal occurred huge loss in the past years of insurgency.

"Had the country not plunged into violence and political instability then the number of the tourist visiting the country would have reached 1.2 million by now," he noted.

The number of tourist was half a million in 1999, ever highest in the country, he added.

Source: Xinhua