Minidokumentarer:
Nepal wants tourists back. But is the country ready for them?
As Nepal recovers from the recent catastrophic floods, concerns remain over whether popular trekking destinations like Mardi Himal is ready to welcome tourists.
Nepal’s death toll has reached a devastating number of 1377 lives, with the EFE stating on September 9th, 2026, 587 were tourists. 5,000 individuals still remain missing. In addition, the recent floodings and landslides have severely damaged roads and infrastructure, leaving communities in need of emergency assistance.
“There are hardly any more tourists... everyone is scared” states Ashim Kumar Lamsal a key operator of Marvel Treks & Expedition in Nepal. In an interview with KEEP Nepal Tara Datta Joshi, the manager of the organisation described similar experiences, “the recent Gen Z protests and flooding have affected tourism to some extent. We have observed that some tourists have cancelled or postponed trekking and travel plans, while others have concerns about visiting Nepal because of the recent events.”
Most to all Ashim’s income comes from tourists, and when interviewing Emma Stevens, an Australian tourist who has just completed the 5 –day Mardi Himal Treck she expressed that, “while doing the hike I realised how many people here rely on tourism for their livelihoods, from guides and drives to the people running the teahouses”.
The World Food Program (WFP) has been supporting emergency responses, delivering food assistance, and helping reach communities affected by the flooding. But as emergency relief continues, questions remain about what recovery will look like for communities that depend heavily on tourism.
“The humanitarian needs that we are focused on are expected to continue for months after these floods” states Robin Vikström, a WFP representative.
But as aid organisations focus on isolated communities and damaged infrastructure, Nepal’s tourism industry is also facing the challenges for reassuring visitors that the country remains open.
“Continuing to visit Nepal can help communities recover.” - Emma Stevens.
For WFP, however, recovery extends beyond bringing tourists back. Ensuring affected communities have access to food, essential services and functioning infrastructure remains an immediate priority.