DHARAN, Sept 14: Nepal's cyclists have come together to bring back life to revive the tourism industry, one of the hardest hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

A team of 50 cyclists led by world cyclist and Everest climber Pushkar Shah has set out on a bicycle journey from Shree Antu in Illam to Rara Lake in Mugu. Tourism entrepreneurs believe that the cycle tour from Shree Antu, a major tourist destination in the east, to Rara in the far west will promote domestic tourism. World cyclist Shah started this campaign last year. The second edition of the cycle tour started on Saturday.

On the first day, the cyclists stayed in Dhulabari, Jhapa whereas they stayed in Taltalaiya, Itahari on the second day. They were given a warm welcome at Dharan and were bid farewell to Udayapur later. They stayed at Gaighat, Udayapur on Monday. The team aims to reach the Rara Lake in four weeks through 28 districts. They will cover a total distance of 1,800 kilometers.

Shah said that the team has set out on a bicycle journey with the message of “Let’s connect and travel together”. “The main purpose of this tour is to promote domestic tourism. But we will also conduct some social work during the trip. We will distribute rations to the Raute community in Surkhet,” he said.

According to Umesh Bhandari, a cyclist from Dharan, the campaign will help connect all Nepalis around the nation. He also said that cycling is not only beneficial for health but it can also promote Nepal's natural beauty all over the world.

Basudev Baral, the coordinator of the Tourism Revival Committee formed by the Nepal Tourism Board in Province 1, said that, “These kinds of campaigns play an important role in promoting tourism in the country. Everyone should support and cooperate with these types of activities as they encourage domestic tourists to travel.”

 
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