First ever diagnosed in Wuhan city of China, the novel virus took the world tour in no time causing devastating damages in human lives. The outbreak has spread over 200 countries and territories with 8,326,733 confirmed cases, 448,081 death and 4,357,262 recoveries as of 17 June 2020. The impact of corona virus to the global economy is transparent. Every country fighting against the disease is going through a severe economic crisis. Nepal has also been hit hardly by the pandemic transmission where tourism is the major sector for c and it has been halted completely all over the country.
Nepal tourism is famous around the world and Mountain Tourism holds second rank among the tourists visiting Nepal. Mountain tourism basically includes mountaineering expedition, trekking, rafting, skiing, etc. contributing more to country´s economy than other tours and treks supporting more than thousand trekking agencies and employing about 50000 individuals in seasonal array and being the source of income of the hoteliers up at the trails. With the onset of the novel pandemic, the tourism industry in Nepal has been shut down completely resulting every individual working on the tourism and hospitality with no jobs.
1.1. COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal
The worrying trend of Corona Virus cases continued in Nepal with 380 new cases and 0 deaths in the last 24 hours. According to Health Ministry´s last statement on 16 June 2020, the number of cases in the country stands at 6,591 where the death toll stands at 19 along with 1158 recovered cases.
The first case of the novel corona virus in Nepal (also in South Asia) was confirmed on 23 January in a 31 years old student returned from Wuhan, China on 9 January. He recovered after two weeks of isolation and medication Teku Hospital. Once World Health Organization (WHO) declared corona virus as global pandemic, Nepal speeded its efforts at high level to control COVID-19 by suspending tourist arrival visas from the highly affected countries at that time and establishing health desks at checkpoint in Indian open borders and cancelling all the promoting events of Visit Nepal 2020.
Nepal did not have any new cases recorded for exact two months after the first case. On 23 March second case of the deadly virus was confirmed on a 19 years old girl who flew to Nepal from France on 17th of March. On the very next day, Nepal implemented nation-wide lockdown until 31 March resulting the business, tourism and entertainment sectors to close down temporarily. Being a poor nation Nepal was also poor in health sector so lockdown was only the option to prevent from transmission of the virus. Despite of the lockdown, the cases were increasing on daily basis which led Nepal to push the lockdown more.
However, Nepal government has announced an easing the nationwide lockdown from 15 June in some of the low-risk areas including Kathmandu valley of allowing operation of businesses, industries and private vehicles on odd-even basis to avoid traffic congestion. Some of the entertainment sectors and educational sectors are ordered to not open yet.
1.2. Impact of COVID-19 in World Tourism
The ongoing worldwide pandemic outbreak of Corona Virus has led the whole world to face a huge crash in global health, economy and social sectors. Travel and tourism is one of the major affected sectors along with airlines, hospitality and entertainment sectors. On 20 April, 100% of all worldwide destinations have been introduced as travel restricted to avoid the pandemic according to UNWTO´s Report on Corona Virus Related Travel Restrictions. This scenario has put 100 to 120 million jobs at risks globally working in the travel and tourism industry. The experts have claimed that COVID-19 is the most worst devastating pandemic in the historical series of the tourism and hospitality sector bringing a sudden end to a 10 years period of sustained growth since the 2009 financial crisis.
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1.3. How has Novel Corona Virus affected Nepal Tourism along Mountain Tourism?
Like other countries, Nepal has been hit hardly by the novel pandemic Corona Virus in economy and health sectors. Unlike other developed nations, Nepal depends upon other neighboring countries for different areas and remittance plays huge role on Nepal´s GDP. Contributing 7.9% in Nepal´s GDP last year, travel and tourism had become one of the major economic sectors. Seeing the positive growth in economy, employment and production from this industry, Nepal had decided to implement the campaign «Visit Nepal 2020» in this year aiming to welcome 2 million guests by the end of the year. However, due to the pandemic outbreak, Nepal had to cancel the event until further notice. Cancellation of the pandemic surely was the best decision taken as the lives of the citizens matter more.
Mountain tourism is the most popular tourism among the tourists attracting much more travelers than other tours and treks. However, tourism in Nepal has been virtually shut downed due to the ongoing pandemic outbreak resulting mountain guides, porters, Sherpas and travel agencies out of work. The outbreak struck at the seasonal period and the hoteliers stockpile everything in advance because of costly transportation fare during peak season. Every individual working in this industry is suffering but hoteliers at the trails to the Himalayas are hit double than the others. The impact of COVID-19 is translucent in world tourism along with Nepal tourism causing various economic damages and employment crisis. The situation around the world and Nepal itself is still alarming and the end of this outbreak may not be near any soon.
1.4. Measures to recover mountain tourism in Nepal after COVID-19
Without any doubt, COVID-19 effects on tourism industry can be seen clearly all around the world including Nepal. Livelihoods of those who are heavily depended upon the tourism are menaced in unprecedented ways. The current global focus is being safe and protecting others from the outbreak. Ending stages of the pandemic outbreak is still unknown and the impacts spilled by it can lead to severe short-term and long-term economic upshots for global tourism. However, tourism will never deteriorate forever s long as human´s movement will always survive providing continuum for tourism revival.
In the context of Nepal tourism especially mountain tourism, it may take three years to revive even if the outbreak is announced to be contained within three months, according to President of Nepal Mountaineering Association. As mountaineering is linked to hotel, travel and tours, it is slightly impossible to recover unless these sectors revive. Travelers will not immediately travel after the virus is contained. According to some expert panels, it is the best opportunity for tourist communities in Nepal to regroup and reconsider their enterprises. Few important steps are needed if the mountain tourism in Nepal wants to recover any soon after the Corona Virus is contained.
1. Government of Nepal should provide immediate, short-term and long-term reconstructions, reliefs and packages program for the recovery of tourism industry.
2. It is the best chance to rehabilitate the trekking trails for better performance in the future.
3. Improvement and reorientation of the mountain tourism destinations should be carried out.
4. Should dramatically focus on improving tourism infrastructures and service provisions. Hygiene, sanitation, access to quality health services and trustworthy health and safety information should be regulated and monitored.
5. Building professionalism in sustainable tourism practices would be one of the major steps for better future of Nepali tourism.
Writer: Krishna Man Shrestha Mountain tourism entreprenuer, Agro farmer and social worker
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