June 12, 2023: The Sagarmatha National Park, renowned for its major tourist attractions, has become deserted as the tourist season comes to an end. Along with the end of the tourism season, the Khumbu region has also turned desolate. Bhumi Raj Upadhyaya, the chief conservation officer of Sagarmatha National Park, provided information regarding the deserted state of the region.
During the peak tourism season, numerous tourists filled the bustling airports, hotels, lodges, camping sites, viewpoints, trails, and scenic spots. However, with the conclusion of the season, these places in Sagarmatha National Park, under the conservation authority of Bhumi Raj Upadhyaya, have become deserted.
With the arrival of a large number of tourists during the tourism season, hotel entrepreneurs, as well as locals like Lamakaji Sherpa, found themselves exceptionally busy. The Khumbu region witnessed an influx of tourists, resulting in overcrowding and a shortage of supplies.
Currently, the influx of tourists is limited to the main trails, where tourists and climbers are greeted by crowded tea houses and lodges. In Khumbu, where up to seven hundred tourists used to visit daily during the season, there are now more foreign tourists compared to domestic visitors.
As the number of tourists decreases, even the employees of the check posts in the park, including the personnel of the Sagarmatha National Park, find themselves with some leisure time. Along with the return of tourists, hotel entrepreneurs are also leaving the Khumbu region in increasing numbers. The main source of income for the residents of the Khumbu region is tourism, so as the season ends, hotel entrepreneurs have started migrating to other districts.
Engaging in hard work during the season and enjoying leisure activities such as entertainment, sightseeing, and excursions in their off time have become the characteristics of the local residents here.
