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The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the tourism sector, one of the main revenue sources of the country. Hotel and air service industry are among the most affected amid the lockdown enforced to suppress the COVID-19 outbreak.
Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), the umbrella organisation of hotel entrepreneurs, has projected that the income of hotel industry might slash by 90 per cent in 2020. HAN requested the government to immediately adopt special policy measures to prevent the hotel and hospitality industry from sliding into further problems. “We urge the government to swiftly place special policy measures to protect hotel industry in this difficult situation,” reads the press release issued by HAN.
It called for the government to formulate necessary policy considering the management of human resources, bank loan, house rent and power tariff until revitalisation of the industry.
The gross income of the hotel industry might go less than 10 per cent in 2020 as compared to the previous year, HAN sources said, adding the industry would not be able to level up expenses this year. It also requested the government to immediately assess the pandemic's possible effects in Nepali economy from different dimensions.
