As the New Year approached, Sauraha, a popular tourist destination, saw a noticeable shift in visitor trends compared to previous years. On the morning of the day before the English New Year, many hotel entrances displayed notices indicating that rooms were unavailable. By noon, most hotels were fully booked, and by evening, those searching for accommodation were often turned away. Hotels across Sauraha, even in the far corners, were typically packed during this period in the past.
However, this year was different. While tourists did arrive in Sauraha, the area did not experience the usual heavy influx of visitors. In the past, tourists would typically fill hotels from two days before to two days after the New Year. Suman Ghimire, a long-time tourism professional and former president of the Regional Hotel Association, noted that this year saw the fewest tourists since he began his career in tourism 14 years ago. According to Ghimire, over 80% of the rooms remained vacant this year, a sharp contrast to previous years.
Ghimire attributes the decline in visitors to disruptions in the transportation network. He explained that tourists coming from Kathmandu were delayed by road closures during the daytime, while those coming from Pokhara and Butwal were reluctant to travel due to difficulties in accessing the routes. He also pointed out that the economic slowdown and the lack of new events in Sauraha could have contributed to the lower tourist numbers.
While the Elephant Festival had taken place earlier, no significant events were organized on New Year’s Day, which further impacted the overall experience for tourists. Despite a steady flow of domestic tourists walking around in the evenings, fewer people were staying in the hotels, Ghimire mentioned.
Santosh Giri, the general manager of Jungle Crown Hotel, speculated that the decline in family tourism could also be attributed to the timing of school exams, which led to fewer families traveling during the holiday season. Although some hotels with scheduled events were fully booked, many other hotels reported a decline in guests, with the overall number of tourists lower than in past years.
A major attraction in Sauraha, the Jungle Safari, also experienced a reduction in visitors. Dipendra Khatiwada, the president of United Elephant Operators Cooperative, noted that the number of tourists was noticeably lower than the previous years.
In the past, each elephant could take tourists on five safaris a day, but this year, the number was barely three. Khatiwada remarked that many tourists would often leave without taking a ride because they could not get a spot, but this year, only about 25% of the usual tourists came for the safari.
Gunn Raj Thapliya, the general secretary of the Regional Hotel Association, also attributed the decrease in tourist numbers to road network issues, the economic downturn, and school exams. He added, “There are roads under construction, some are closed, and flights are unavailable. Where are the tourists supposed to come from?” The ongoing economic struggles faced by the general public have also resulted in fewer people choosing to travel.
Sauraha has 160 hotels with a total capacity to accommodate 6,500 tourists. However, Thapaliya mentioned that only about 80% of the rooms were filled this year. “In the past, we had to put up signs saying rooms were full by midday, but this year, that wasn’t the case,” he said. Among the visitors this year, about 80% were domestic tourists, while the remaining were from India and other foreign countries.
Tourists typically come to Sauraha for jeep, boat, and elephant safaris in Chitwan National Park and the nearby community forests. The reduced number of tourists has raised concerns among local hoteliers and operators, but there is hope that as conditions improve, the tourism industry in Sauraha can recover.
