After a series of earthquakes in Nepal for three days, many people from Bengaluru have cancelled their bookings to the holiday destination. Many tourism companies too have cancelled and stopped bookings to Nepal at least till May 15.
The forced cancellations in this peak holiday season has put a big financial burden on the tour operators.
An official from Thomas Cook said, as many as 20 people from Karnataka, including 10 from Bengaluru, had booked for Nepal this month. In the wake of the earthquake, the firm has cancelled all bookings. The fares, if booked in advance ranges from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 and if booked at the last minute, it ranges from Rs 55,0000 to Rs 60,000 per person for five nights and six days.
Every year, a lot of people travel to Nepal, but this year the number was less and most bookings were to Kashmir and Ladakh. “After this incident, we fear the numbers would reduce further,” he added.
Kumarshan, manager of Kesari Tours and Travels, said they normally send around 2,000- 2,5000 people from Karnataka to Nepal, annually. This month they had booked around 350 people. “We have cancelled all. We are aware that the disaster will affect tourism and it will be a financial burden on us. But it is not an issue as it is a natural disaster. We have also closed all bookings till May 15. The decision to extend this date will be taken at a later stage based on the situation there.”
Another agent from SOTC said they had not received any bookings to Nepal after February. But now following the natural disaster there, they have also decided to stop bookings till the situation becomes normal and tourist-friendly.
They will also decide on revising the rates for the next tourism season because the number of bookings are bound to reduce for a while.