February 16, 2023: The tourism business in the Kanchenjunga region, the third-highest mountain in the world, is gradually returning to its rhythm. Four hundred and thirty-nine foreign tourists have visited here in the last four months, and the arrival of tourists is increasing.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourist activity in the Kanchenjunga ice range area, which has been deserted for a long time, is increasing. According to Manakumar Limbu, the secretary of the Kanchenjunga Conservation and Management Council office, tourism is the main source of income for the community living here. He says that tourism and hoteliers are excited by the arrival of tourists, and there are 52 small and big investment hotels operating on the footpath to Kanchenjunga Himal, targeting tourists.
Jiten Chemjong, the program assistant coordinator of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council office, has informed us that four hotels were built at an investment of more than Rs. 1 crore.
“Due to the pandemic, tourists could not come here for a long time. Entrepreneurs were disappointed. Businessmen have been excited by the arrival of tourists for the first time,” said Pema Sherpa, a hotelier in Ghunsa. In the fiscal year 2076-77 B.S., 386 male, and 186 female foreign tourists came to the Kanchenjunga region, according to the council’s statistics.
Two footpaths are being used to reach the Kanchenjunga base camp. Tourists reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga Himal through Ganesh Chowk of Panchthar and Sirijunga Rural Municipality of Taplejung. The base camp of Kanchenjunga is also accessible by using the road of Paktanglung Rural Municipality through the air route from Kathmandu to Suketer Airport in Taplejung. The council keeps the details of tourists visiting here.
