Over 6,400 religious tourists visit Kailash Manasarovar

By Our Correspondent,Humla, Sept. 17: This year, over 6,400 Indian and other international tourists have visited Kailash Manasarovar from Simkot in Humla via Hilsa.

Since the Chinese government opened the Hilsa border for Indian religious tourists after the coronavirus pandemic, the number of visitors to Kailash Manasarovar has significantly increased.

According to Police Deputy Superintendent Shankar Pokharel, the number of religious tourists visiting Manasarovar and Kailash has reached 6,409 this year. Among them, 6,077 are Indian pilgrims, while 332 are from other countries.

Of the total visitors, 3,534 are men and 2,872 are women. As the season is still ongoing, the number is expected to rise further.

With the surge in arrivals, Simkot Airport has been busy. Mahendra Bahadur Singh, head of the Civil Aviation Authority in Simkot, said that during this season, 164 flights of airplanes and helicopters operated in a single day. 

Airplanes bring tourists from Nepalgunj, while helicopters fly from Simkot to Hilsa. Currently, two planes of Sita Airlines, two from Tara Air, and three from Summit Air are operating, along with six helicopters.

The tourist season has also boosted local businesses. According to tourism entrepreneur Min Bahadur Tamang, 17 seasonal hotels are operating in Simkot and Hilsa, 10 in Simkot and seven in Hilsa. 

Income from this season is crucial for hotel operators to sustain themselves throughout the year.

Porters have also benefited from the tourist arrival. More than 50 porters in Simkot and Hilsa are earning their livelihood by carrying heavy loads. “The arrival of tourists has brought us good work,” said a cheerful porter working at Simkot Airport.

Local farmers are also experiencing positive changes. Rupendra Rokaya, a vegetable farmer in Humla, said that unlike last year, when it was hard to find market for vegetables due to fewer tourists, this year he has been able to sell his produce easily.

In the past, hotels had to import vegetables by air from Nepalgunj and Surkhet during the tourist season. Now, with more local farmers producing vegetables, the demand is being met locally, benefitting both farmers and businesses.