Hotel entrepreneurs in Sauraha are elated with the rising inflow of tourists in the district despite increasing risks in the travel during rainy season.
The July and August are considered off-season in terms of the inflow of tourists. Due to shrinking business in the rainy season, the hotel staffs were also encouraged to stay on leave in previous years.

However, increasing flow of domestic and foreign tourists in the off-season this time has elated tourism entrepreneurs. According to Regional Hotel Association Chitwan Chairperson Ganga Giri, in an average daily 1000-1200 tourists are arriving in Sauraha in this season. Half of them are foreigners with dominant number of Chinese tourists. There are 125 hotels in Sauraha having capacity to accommodate 6,200 people.

The increasing rise in the arrival of tourists in the off-season has excited tourism entrepreneurs here, he said. Daily 100 plus tourists are enjoying elepahtn riding in Sauraha, informed chairperson of United Elephant Operators’ Cooperative organization, Rishi Tiwari. Mostly the Chinese tourists are enjoying elephant riding, he shared.

The number of tourists available in Sauraha is higher than it was in previous years. Former chairperson of Regional Hotel Association, Suman Ghimire said the arrival of tourists is satisfactory despite bad road condition. It has made entrepreneurs hopeful for the rebound of tourism industry in Nepal, Ghimire said. –