KATHMANDU, March 16: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwar Pokharel on Monday urged the tourism entrepreneurs to share their problems with the government which they are currently facing due to the coronavirus outbreak.

At a meeting held in the capital, Minister Pokharel who is also the coordinator of the high-level government committee to prevent and contain the COVID-19 assured that the government is ready to extend all support to the tourism entrepreneurs.

"The entrepreneurs should also work sincerely to resolve their problems which they are currently facing in the wake of coronavirus outbreak," he said.

The minister's statement comes at a time when the country's tourism industry is facing an acute crisis as tourism revenues plummeted in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

During the meeting, chairperson of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) Srijana Rana said that hoteliers are currently facing serious financial crisis. "The hoteliers will not be able to pay bank loans on time due to the financial crisis," she said.

According to Rana, hotels affiliated to HAN have incurred a loss of Rs 1.80 billion a month.

Chairperson of Airlines Operators Association of Nepal Rameshwar Thapa said that helicopter business operators have hit hard due to the coronavirus outbreak fears.

Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Tourism Board Dhananjaya Regmi said that most of the airlines have suspended their flights due to the COVID-19 fears.

On Friday, the government had decided to close all of the country's Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season owing to the fears of the coronavirus outbreak.

Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, collects more than four million dollars in permit fees for the world’s highest peak and other mountains every year.

 
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