‘Still a lockdown’: Deadly floods hit Nepal tourism as peak season begins

In the aftermath of catastrophic floods that claimed over 1,450 lives and devastated crucial highways in Nepal, the nation's tourism sector faces a grim reality as the peak season begins. Pushpraj Rimal, a tour planner and taxi driver in Kathmandu, vividly encapsulates the toll the disaster has taken on his livelihood. Describing the situation as akin to a "lockdown," he laments the sharp decline in tourist bookings since the floods, many of which have been cancelled.

Rimal, who works on commission for multiple hotels and trekking companies in Kathmandu and Pokhara, the scenic town famed for its lake within the Annapurna mountain range, reveals that business for him has plummeted by a quarter, with tourists generally flocking to the country from September through November. The floods, caused by a glacial mountain collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border, have not only disrupted travel plans but have also deterred tourists from unaffected regions.

With tourism contributing nearly 8 percent of Nepal's GDP and employing over 1 million people, the economic impact is staggering. Rimal, a father of two, faces a personal crisis as well, as he struggles to fulfill his promise of providing his children with tablets for Dussain, a significant Hindu festival typically occurring in October.

Despite having completed only a fraction of his usual season's business, Rimal is now resigned to waiting for the season to conclude, the specter of his shattered promises loom large over his future.