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    Nepal political crisis to hit tourism 

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    By Aneesh Phadnis

    Copyright thehindubusinessline

    Nepal political crisis to hit tourism 

    Hotels and travel firms in Nepal are bracing for a wave of cancellations as violent mob protests triggered resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government on Tuesday.

    Kathmandu airport was closed for commercial operations from Tuesday afternoon leading to flight diversions and cancellations. The Ministry of External Affairs has issued an advisory urging Indians to defer travel to Nepal until the situation gets normal.

    “Indian citizens presently in Nepal are advised to shelter in their current place of residence, avoid going into streets and exercise all caution,” the MEA said.

    On ground, hotel owners are staring at a loss. September is the start of the travel season in Nepal and hotels were reporting 55-60 per cent occupancy. “One month of business will be wiped off,” a hotelier remarked.

    “The situation deteriorated very rapidly on Tuesday. All our guests and staff are staying put. The protestors are not targeting tourists or Indians but because of all the violence we fear a flood of cancellations from tomorrow,” he added.

    Protestors targeted Kathmandu’s Hilton hotel and set it on fire over its ownership. This was among the several properties vandalised by protestors who also attacked ministerial homes and government buildings.

    A Hilton spokesperson said property has closed following damage sustained during today’s protests. “The safety and security of our guests and team members is always our top priority. All guests and team members were safely evacuated from the premises, and no injuries have been reported. We will undertake a full assessment of the building and guests with upcoming reservations in the coming days.”

    Indigo watching the situation

    IndiGo said it is closely monitoring the developments and co-ordinating with local authorities to resume operations at the earliest.

    “We have two groups in Nepal now. One of them is in Chitwan and the other is in Pokhara. Our customers are safe and continuing their schedule as per plan. We are in regular touch with our customers and monitoring the situation to enable the safe completion of their trip,” said a CEO of a Mumbai-based tour operator.

    Published on September 9, 2025

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