Himal Press 
SAURAHA: Hotel entrepreneurs in Sauraha are elated with the increasing inflow of tourists in this tourist town on the edge of Chitwan National Park, even during the rainy season. Traditionally, July and August are considered off-season periods for tourist arrivals, leading to reduced business.
Hoteliers used to encourage their staff to take leaves in this period in previous years. However, there has been a significant surge in both domestic and foreign tourists during the off-season this year, bringing delight to tourism entrepreneurs. According to Ganga Giri, the Chairperson of the Regional Hotel Association Chitwan, an average of 1,000-1,200 tourists are arriving daily in Sauraha. A significant number of them are foreigners, mainly Chinese tourists, Giri added.
Sauraha boasts 125 hotels with a total capacity to accommodate 6,200 people. The remarkable increase in tourist arrivals during the off-season has left tourism entrepreneurs excited about the prospects. Rishi Tiwari, the chairperson of the United Elephant Operators’ Cooperative organization, said that over 100 tourists daily are enjoying elephant safari in Sauraha. “Chinese tourists make up a significant portion of the riders,” he added.
Tourist footfall in Sauraha this year has surpassed the figures from previous years, Suman Ghimire, former chairperson of Regional Hotel Association Chitwan, said. “This positive trend has instilled hope among entrepreneurs for a potential rebound of the tourism industry,” he added. (RSS)
