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Kathmandu Tuesday August 08, 2000 Sharawan 24, 2057.
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Insurgency hits tourism
By
a Post Reporter
SIMIKOT
(Humla), Aug 7 -The number of tourists has started to decline in the Humla district in
recent months with the increase in Maoist activities, according to people engaged in
tourism trade.
A
resident of Burause VDC Sunam Bahadur Lama who carries luggages of the tourists says the
groups of tourists visiting Humla has declined this year as compared with that of the
previous years.
Thamserku
Travel, which had managed to take 37 tourists groups to Mansarobar Kailash last year
through this route so far managed tour of only 8 groups this year. Not more than 18 groups
of tourists are expected to pass through the Humla district this year in the next
two months for which this district can remain open for tourists from climatic point of
view. Lama said Thamserku is the prominent travel agency to take tourists to Mansarobar
Kailash via Humla district.
According
to him, 25 groups of tourists which were in contact with Thamserky Travel, cancelled their
visit citing the main reason as the increase in Maoist activities. Sony Travel, another
travel agency which is engaged in carrying tourists to Humla, said it also cancelled tour
of 9 groups which were scheduled to pass via Humla district.
Lama
had bought 21 mules for transportation of luggage of tourists. Last year he had earned
nearly 300 thousand rupees by this time, but this year he has earned less than 50 thousand
rupees so far.
All
the 6 or 7 people who possess mules in the Humla district are passing through the same
financial difficulties this year due to the lack of tourist arrival.
Muchu
and Limi VDCs bordering Tibet on the north, were restricted for foreign tourists until
2050 BS. The number of tourists visiting in groups increased gradually after the tourists
travelling in groups were allowed to pass through Muchu VDC.
Almost
all the tourists wish to see new things and new places.
Many
tourists pass through Kodari Tatopani route and return via Humla while many others prefer
to take the other way round while going to Manasarobar Kailash, according to Bhagat
Gurung, trekking guide of Malla Trek.
Residents
of Limi VDC are also demanding for the last few years to open the VDC for tourists. It is
expected that the number of tourists will double if they are allowed to visit this VDC.
As
the local people have stopped their pastoral activities following the problems of grazing
they encountered, there is the need to lift ban on foreign tourists, Chairman of Limi VDC
Sunam Palden Lama told The Kathmandu Post.
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