Kathmandu, May 20
A recent survey has revealed the Covid-19 crisis has permanently shut around 17 per cent of the tourism enterprises in Nepal since March 2020.
The survey conducted by Kathmandu Living Labs in partnership with various organisations of the industry has made the conclusion. Nepal Tourism Board’s former CEO Deepak Raj Joshi led the survey.
Most of these businesses completely shutting are located in Thamel, one of the busiest tourism hubs of Kathmandu, according to Joshi.
“The aviation sector, big hotels and other industries with a bigger investment are still in the wait-and-see mode. But, small entrepreneurs have already reached the stage of disappearance.”
The survey has found that six per cent of the businesses were never shut notwithstanding the pandemic whereas 77 per cent were temporarily shut.
Likewise, 65 per cent of the employees dependent on the tourism industry have been left unemployed by the pandemic.
The survey report has presented several recommendations for the revival of the industry in terms of fiscal and monetary support, financial assistance from the government, business development support, monetary and employment support, and professional development and workforce wellbeing among others.
