Impact of Bad Weather in Kathmandu on Tourist Travel

Kathmandu: Poor weather conditions observed in the capital since Wednesday morning have impacted the travel plans of tourists coming to and leaving Nepal. 

Internal and international flights at Tribhuvan International Airport have been affected due to low visibility. On the eve of the tourist season, large aircraft carrying foreign tourists to Nepal have been held in the sky, while some planes were forced to return to their destinations after being unable to land due to weather disruptions.

According to Tribhuvan International Airport, flights arriving from international destinations such as Doha and Istanbul are being held in the sky over Simara while waiting for favorable weather. This has also affected the domestic travel schedules of tourists using Kathmandu as a gateway to reach destinations like Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, and the Himalayan regions.

Regarding domestic flights, operations have come to a standstill at airports with tourism and commercial potential, such as Tumlingtar, Bharatpur, Surkhet, and Rajbiraj, due to adverse weather. This has forced passengers dependent on adventure tourism, religious visits, and business travel to make alternative plans.

According to tourism experts, the frequent impact of Kathmandu Valley's weather on international flights is a challenging issue for the image of Nepal's tourism. They state that if navigation systems based on modern technology are expanded, safe landings would be possible even in bad weather, saving both the time and experience of tourists.

Currently, around 100 international and 200 domestic flights operate daily from Tribhuvan Airport. Until the weather improves, tourism-related agencies have urged passengers and tourists to keep updated on flight schedules and travel with alternative plans.