Visit Nepal 2020: Banke National Park Witnesses Meagre Tourist Arrivals

The tourist arrivals at Banke National Park (BaNP) looks daunting, especially when the country is anticipating to attract 2 million foreign tourists during the ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ campaign.

The park was established in July 2010 for the conservation of wild tigers and it extends over the area of 550 sq. km.

Banke National Park, one of the youngest parks in Nepal, has been enlisted in 57^th position among 100 tourist spots in the country.

Special Attractions of the BaNP

• Eight ecosystems
• 124 wild plants
• 32 reptiles
• 300 species of birds including 50 species of internationally endangered birds
• 48 species of fish
• 32 species of mammals
• 6 species of amphibians
• 11 species of endangered mammals
• 21 tigers
• Wild elephants
• Deer and spotted deer

In a bid to attract the tourist during VNY2020, the park authorities developed necessary infrastructures and facilities including view towers, jeep safari, trekking route, boating, cycling, tiger tracking and elephant safari, among others.

[UPDATE: Visit Nepal 2020 Tourist Arrivals: 2% Drop in January]

Even the Province-5 Government constructed 9 homestay facilities in the villages in the vicinity of the BaNP, including Balapur, Khadgabar and Gabhar.

Despite having such features, the national park has not witnessed as many tourists as expected earlier.

The coronavirus outbreak in China is considered to be the main factor for the decline in foreign tourist arrivals at the park.

Coronavirus outbreak has impeded the tourists from China, India and Europe, among others.

Many Chinese tourists have already cancelled their trips to Nepal amid massive countrywide lockdown in China.

The tourists from countries outside China are cancelling their trips to Nepal as the country shares most of its border with China.

So far, coronavirus has killed over 3,000 people worldwide and infected around 88,000 people.