Nepal tourism operators stress safety despite localized flood crisis

“We have a crisis in one part of the country, but we’re open elsewhere and are not affected by the floods,” said Lama, a tourism entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience. “I’m just trying to communicate that to my clients.”

Over 1,200 people have died, with more than 4,000 still missing – among them some 600 tourists, many of whom were pilgrims bound for Mount Kailash, a site in the Tibet autonomous region revered by Hindus and Buddhists.

Terrifying social media footage has alarmed visitors planning trips during Nepal’s peak September-October travel season, when post-monsoon skies offer unobstructed mountain views. But tourism operators stress that most of the country, including the popular Everest and Annapurna regions, remains safe and unaffected.