Flood-related visuals and reports from Nepal have led to a rise in travel cancellations from India, disrupting puja and winter holiday plans and leaving tour operators facing losses, according to a report by The Times of India.
Travel agencies in Jharkhand have reported cancellations of 60-70% for trips planned for late September and October. In Bihar, travel operators said tourist movement to Kathmandu and Pokhara via Janakpur had dropped to zero over the past two days.
“Families do not want to risk safety,” Ranchi tour operator Amit Roy said, according to the report.
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The cancellations come as Nepal remains a popular international destination for Indian travellers because of its proximity, affordability and cultural links.
Kolkata businessman Naresh Parnani was scheduled to travel to Kathmandu next week for a six-day holiday with his elderly mother and children. The family has now decided to travel to Dubai instead.
A Darjeeling couple also cancelled a 15-day Mansarovar trip planned for September via Kerung. The Rs 4.4 lakh package included permits for entering Tibet. The couple cancelled after watching videos showing Kerung being swept away.
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Travel agents in Kolkata said they were receiving cancellations while travellers were also seeking information about the safety of destinations including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Patan and Lumbini.
“Roads are impassable, forcing us to cancel bookings,” Sanjeev Kumar of Bharat-Nepal Maitri Sewa bus said.
(With inputs from TOI)
