May 8, Kathmandu - Stating that the tourism sector has been badly affected by the epidemic of covid-19, the businessmen of the region have demanded to declare the tourism sector as a crisis zone. The demand was made by the representatives of the organizations affiliated to the Pokhara Tourism Council during a virtual discussion organized by the pokhara Tourism Council to collect suggestions on the impact of COVID-19 in the tourism sector and future plans.

Chairman of the council Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai said that the tourism sector which was directly affected by the recent variant has been further affected and the state should be sensitive to provide relief to the entrepreneurs. "Entrepreneurs are fleeing from the tourism sector. Mid-June is approaching. It is time for the banks to pay the same amount for interest. The government's monetary policy is too late to address it. How can entrepreneurs move forward now?" He said. He said that it was the responsibility of the state to prevent the businessmen from fleeing by declaring the tourism sector in crisis.

He said that a positive message should be conveyed by providing priority to the entrepreneurs and tourism workers of the region to protect the tourism sector and a special relief package should be brought in the forthcoming budget by declaring the tourism sector as a sick industry.

General Secretary of the council, Ram Chandra Sharma, said that suggestions have been collected through the virtual program on the difficulties and problems faced by the entrepreneurs from the current situation and how to move forward to solve those problems institutionally. According to Sharma, in the discussion program, most of the entrepreneurs were fleeing from their businesses and the banking interest rate has increased the mental pressure and the province has not implemented the monetary policy.

Sharma informed that the council had earlier decided to take initiative to rescue the distressed tourists by setting up a rescue center with emphasis on health security and to take special initiative to prioritize the tourism sector in the forthcoming budget. According to businessmen, billions of rupees have been invested in the tourism sector in Pokhara, including 700 tourist hotels, and the region is incurring a daily loss of more than Rs 10 million.