Catastrophic Floods Devastate Nepal's Peak Tourism Season, Leaving Local Businesses Struggling

Tourism attracts thousands of international travellers, accounting for nearly 8 percent of Nepal's GDP.

In Kathmandu, Chitwan and Nuwakot, Nepal, tour planner and taxi driver Pushpraj Rimal was eagerly anticipating a business boom this September. Instead, the 42-year-old faced a wave of cancellations following catastrophic floods last month that claimed more than 1,450 lives and severely damaged vital highways, heavily impacting the Himalayan nation's tourism-dependent economy. “It is still a lockdown kind of situation,” Pushpraj told Al Jazeera nearly a month after the disaster. Working on commission for several hotels and trekking companies in Kathmandu and Pokhara—known for its lake nestled in the Annapurna mountain range and serving as a base for Himalayan trekkers—he noted that most foreign visitors have stayed away.

Nepal’s peak tourist season follows the monsoon rains in August when skies clear up. Tourism attracts thousands of international travellers, contributing nearly 8 percent to Nepal’s gross domestic product and employing over 1 million people. Last year, the nation welcomed more than 1.15 million tourists, with nearly a third arriving during the September–November season. However, this year's floods, triggered by a glacial mountain collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border, have deterred visitors even in unaffected areas.

“I had rented two cars for two months, but I have done one fourth of the business I usually do in a season,” Pushpraj said, explaining he will receive no commissions and that his taxi business has suffered. The financial strain means he may have to break a promise to buy his children, Hema, 14, and Rahul, 12, a tablet for the upcoming Dussain festival in October.

Meanwhile, Seeta Nepali, 61, and her husband, Ramakant Nepali, 68, sell homemade buttermilk and cottage cheese on the highway connecting Kathmandu to Pokhara and Chitwan. “Our town may not have been destroyed by the floods, but the floods reached us by way of no buyers,” Seeta explained, noting that earnings dropped drastically due to blocked roads and a severe lack of travelers.

While some travelers like British national Alexa and her five friends were forced to cancel their planned trip to Pokhara and Dhulikhel, others shifted their plans. Tapas Kumar from India opted to cancel Pokhara and extend his stay in Kathmandu for seven days at the insistence of his family in the United States.

Embassy advisories also played a role. Surendra Thapa, charge d’affaires at the Indian embassy, noted that some travelers misunderstood safety measures, emphasizing, “We want people to know that Nepal is open and safe. Only some parts need to be avoided.” Conversely, the United Kingdom and United States embassies issued advisories warning that many areas remained unstable and unsafe.

Resort workers like Pramila Chhetri in Chitwan reported widespread cancellations due to misunderstandings about the extent of the damage. As the full economic impact unfolds, small-business owners like Pushpraj and Seeta continue to feel the pinch, hoping for a return of the travelers upon whom their livelihoods depend.