Ganga Bahadur Thapa had to visit many lodges before he finally found accommodation in Sauraha. “As I had not made booking, it became very difficult for me to find rooms in Sauraha,” Thapa told Republica.[break]
As large number of domestic tourists chose Sauraha to celebrate New Year this year, local hotels are facing pressure to arrange accommodations for them. Damodar Regmi, proprietor of Nature Heritage, said around 150 guests approached them for rooms on Saturday alone. The hotel can accommodate only 40 guests per night.
“Many officer workers are in Sauraha to celebrate New Year weekend with their families,” Narayan Bhattarai, president of Regional Hotel Association Sauraha, said.
There are around 80 hotels in Sauraha and they can accommodate around 2,100 guests per night.
“Almost all the hotels in Sauraha are packed with tourists. Majority of them are Nepalis,” Bhattarai said.
On ordinary days, Nepalis constitute around 20-30 percent of total tourists visiting Sauraha.
“Number of domestic tourists visiting Sauraha increases three-fold during New Year,” said Bhattarai.
According to local hoteliers, Nepalis spend an average of Rs 5,000 per day per person, which is higher than the average spending by foreign tourists.
Sauraha is the most popular destination in the country for jungle safari.
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