Nepal urges tourists not to cancel trips after deadly floods
Government says major tourist destinations remain open as it seeks to limit the economic fallout from the disaster
Nepal on Tuesday urged international travellers not to cancel planned visits after devastating floods killed more than 1,000 people, saying major tourist destinations remained open despite extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure.
Tourism Minister Khadak Raj Paudel appealed to visitors to continue travelling to Nepal, saying tourism would provide vital support to communities recovering from the disaster.
In a video message, Paudel said the country's trekking routes and tourist destinations remained open and urged travellers not to abandon their plans.
The August 26 flash floods swept through the Trishuli river systems, destroying homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure across northern and central Nepal.
The disaster severely disrupted access to several popular destinations, including Langtang, Gosaikunda and the route towards Mansarovar in Tibet.
The Malekhu bridge over the Trishuli River, an important link towards the tourist city of Pokhara, was also swept away.
Sections of the Prithvi Highway between Naubise and Malekhu were eroded at three locations after floodwaters damaged the base of the road.
The worst damage was reported at Krishnabhir, about 23 kilometres from Mugling towards Kathmandu, where nearly 200 metres of the highway have been washed away.
The floods also disrupted travel to the northern border region, with hundreds of foreign nationals initially reported missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing in affected areas.
Authorities have stressed, however, that the destruction is concentrated in particular areas and that much of the country remains accessible to tourists.
"NEPAL IS NOT CLOSED," the Nepal Tourism Board said in a statement on Tuesday, urging travellers to continue visiting and saying tourism would help sustain livelihoods in communities hit by the disaster.
The government has established tourist information and assistance mechanisms and advised visitors to check conditions before travelling to areas directly affected by the floods.
The appeal comes as Nepal enters its peak autumn tourism season, when thousands of foreign visitors normally arrive for trekking, mountaineering and other adventure activities in the Himalayas.
Tourism is a major source of employment and foreign currency for Nepal, supporting guides, porters, hotels, restaurants, transport operators, trekking agencies and businesses in mountain communities.
Officials are concerned that images of flooded rivers, damaged settlements and destroyed roads could create the impression that the entire country is inaccessible, potentially prompting cancellations beyond the areas directly affected.
For tourism-dependent communities, continued visitor spending could provide an important source of income as Nepal begins the long process of rebuilding.
