Go Nepal e-Magazine

e needed to reconstruct the walking paths.
A Tourism Ministry survey shows that the trekking
sector is the largest employer in the tourism industry
followed by tourist standard hotels, travel agencies,
star hotels and international airlines. According to the
survey, the 1,636 trekking agencies in the country provided
50,004 jobs in 2014.
Meanwhile, an increased number of deaths on the
scenic mountains, particularly Everest, has emerged
as another worry. Last year on April 18, an avalanche
on Everest killed 16 guides. This year too, at least 19
climbers including high-altitude guides died in an avalanche
triggered by the April 25 earthquake.
Peak climbing in Nepal is considered to be high-end
tourism as it brings income to porters, kitchen staff,
high-altitude guides and expedition and gear agencies.
A guide on Everest normally earns $6,000 to $7,000
during the three-month climbing season. Government
revenues amount to about $3.9 million annually in
climbing fees, $3.5 million from Everest alone.
Luxury and budget hotels, restaurants and bars in
Pokhara, Thamel and other tourist areas have borne
the brunt of the slump n tourism. There has been a noticeable
absence of backpackers and budget travellers
on the streets of Thamel and Pokhara since the tremor
despite this being the height of the tourist season.
While European and American visitors prefer adventure
activities, tourists from Southeast Asia come to
Nepal mainly to visit religious sites. “And they will
certainly feel let down if the cultural and architectural
structures are not restored speedily,” said Pokhrel.
The earthquake reduced a majority of the valley’s
Unesco World Heritage Sites to rubble. Damage has
been caused to numerous historic buildings and archaeological
locations, including six Unesco World Heritage
Sites, namely Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan
Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square and the
shrines of Swayambhu, Changu Narayan and Boudha.
(The Kathmandu Post)