Myagdi. The tourist places of Myagdi have become deserted in the main season. In the past years, hotels and tourism entrepreneurs who used to be busy in welcoming guests in the months of September-October have become free this time.

Rajan Lama, a hotel entrepreneur of Beni, said the movement of the ‘Genji generation’ and landslides along the Narayanghat-Muglin and Muglin-Kathmandu road sections have affected the tourism business.

“Although it is a suitable time for festival holidays, trekking and pilgrimage, the number of tourists this time is the lowest in 20 years,” he said. In the past years, hotels in Beni, Galeshwor, Bhurung-Tatopani and Dana used to be filled with tourists and pilgrims visiting Mustang with the onset of September. Before Ghatasthapana, there used to be crowds of pilgrims from Nepal and India at Kagbeni of Mustang for offering ancestral tarpan and paying homage to Muktinath.

Even during the time of Sohra Shraddha, the number of pilgrims coming to Kagbeni and Muktinath for pilgrimage has decreased. A local hotel entrepreneur, Dam Bahadur Pun, said that the number of tourists coming to Ghorepani-Pun Hill area, the main destination of the world-famous Annapurna circuit trekking route, is also sporadic.

“A group of 36 foreign tourists who were supposed to stay in my hotel have cancelled their bookings citing uncomfortable situation in the country,” he said. The locals have not come either. ’

Pun Hill situated at an altitude of 3,210 metres from the sea level can enjoy sunrise, snow range and the geography of the hills. Around three hundred foreign tourists and an equal number of domestic tourists used to come here during the autumn months of October-November.

Ghodepani, the main tourist destination of Myagdi, has 25 well-equipped hotels with a capacity of 1,000 on a daily basis. The Chitre-Ghodepani road linking Pokhrebagar to Ghodepani of Annapurna rural municipality is under the process of being upgraded.

Similarly, the Singa Tatopani Kunda at Beni Municipality-4 and the Bhurung Tatopani Kunda at Annapurna Rural Municipality-2 are deserted. The Singa hot water pond which is collected from underground at 50 degree Celsius is known as a natural treatment site. The Bhurung-Tatopani Beni-Jomsom road is a tiring place for the tourists visiting Mustang. Amritman Sherchan, a hotel entrepreneur of Bhurung-Tatopani, said that they are looking for alternative occupation due to lack of tourists.

“The arrival of tourists before Dashain festival is disappointing”, he said, adding, “We are worried that we will have to leave the business and look for alternatives to repay loan if the situation continues even after Dashain”. Bhurung-Tatopani is also the entry point of the Maurice Hargos trekking route that connects the base camp of the Annapurna mountain.