POKHARA, Sept 29: Fearing possible unrest amid the protest called by the CPN-Maoist against the entry of vehicles with Indian number plates, Indian tourists who had planned to visit Nepal, particularly Pokhara, have cancelled their bookings.
Entrepreneurs said even tourists who had already reached entry points along the Nepal-India border have cancelled their visits. Others with bookings for the near future have also rolled back their plans.[break]
"Hundreds of tourists have turned back from the Sunauli entry point," said Bhairahawa-based tourism entrepreneur Kishore Joshi. Although the ban has been called against the entry of vehicles with Indian number plates alone, tourists say they are scared of other possible unrest, he added.
Though entrepreneurs are trying to arrange local luxury coaches for the tourists, they said they have been facing difficulties due to the sudden protests launched by the CPN-Maoist.
"The existing syndicate of transporters is proving a hurdle in making such alternative arrangements," said Joshi.
"If there is a ban on Indian plated vehicles, the government should ensure the smooth movement of green plated vehicles across the country," he demanded.
That is not all. Indian tourists who were assured by travel agents that they would be able to travel in their own vehicles complain that they are facing trouble getting the service charges refunded.
As the number of Indian tourists coming by Indian tourist vehicles stands at more than 300,000 ever year, the opposition of the CPN-Maoist to the entry of Indian tourist coaches is certain to hurt the industry which is just into its peak season. Tourists from India account for more than 25 percent of total tourist arrivals.
Chairman of Nepal-India Friendship Association chapter in Belahiya, Srichan Gupta, said the protest has already spread a negative message among Indian tourists. "We are having a tough time convincing India-based tour operators that there was no problem in the entry of Indian tourists," added Gupta.
Gupta further said the protest has also affected tourists from third countries who visit Nepal in Indian number plate vehicles.
Hari Sharma, a Pokhara hotelier, said he has already received the cancellation of 120 Indian tourists within the last three days. "The tourists have turned back from Sunauli out of fear," he said.
Meanwhile, tourism-related associations have expressed serious concern over the CPN-Maoist ban on Indian number plate vehicles entering Nepal.
At a meeting initiated by the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) on Saturday, tourism associations like Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Himalaya Rescue Association (HRA), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and Tourist Guide Association of Nepal (TURGAN) condemned the CPN-Maoist move, stating it has hit bilateral ties and impacted tourism, trade and political and cultural relations with India.
President of HAN Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati said, "The move is illegal and irrational and is going to yield negative results only." He said all business segments along with tourism were going to suffer badly.
The entrepreneurs said the protest was affecting the image of the country also.
The meeting of tourism entrepreneurs unanimously decided to urge the Maoist party to revoke its decision and take up other protest programs. "We have decided to ask the CPN-Maoist to call off a program that was not in the interest of the national economy," added Kakshapati.
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