June 14, Kathmandu: The number of tourists visiting the Annapurna region connecting five districts has been declining in recent days.
According to Bahadur Gurung, Tourism Assistant at Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Tourist Inspection Center, Dharapani, a week ago 200 tourists used to come here daily but hardly 8/10 tourists are coming at this time.
According to him, the rainy season is about to start and there will be road problems so the number of tourists is decreasing. This Annapurna region is considered one of the most popular in the world tourism market. In the past, more than 500/600 tourists used to come here daily.
“I would earn around Rs 50,000 to 60,000 on a daily basis when there was pressure from tourists. But, nowadays, incomes were almost like zero,” said Pachcha Bahadur Gurung a tourism entrepreneur in the Annapurna region.
Another tourism entrepreneur Khus Bahadur Tamang had made Rs 40 thousand to Rs 50 thousand daily until a few weeks back but now he only makes Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a day.
Not only them, but more than 3,000 tourism entrepreneurs around this region like them have the same problem.
Records show that the highest number of tourists coming for trekking in this region is from France, Germany, Italy and other countries.
