In the shadow of Mt. Everest, a business boom goes bust, spoiled by COVID-19

  • 📰 latimes
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 71 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 32%
  • Publisher: 82%

Ireland News News

Ireland Ireland Latest News,Ireland Ireland Headlines

Business owners in Nepal’s Solukhumbu region, which draws mountaineers from all over, are buried in debt, with almost no income and no relief in sight.

On Sept. 1, 2019, four months before researchers in China identified a novel coronavirus, KC Krishna opened his first business in the heart of Namche Bazaar, the tourism hub of Nepal’s Mt. Everest region.

Climbers typically account for less than 1% of visitors to the region. Trekkers make up the rest, and they have remained almost entirely absent this season. In 2019, 7,993 people entered Sagarmatha National Park by the end of March. This year, the number was 255. Already, some business owners from out of town have cut their losses and returned to farming communities.

Namche Bazaar is a five- to seven-day hike from the nearest road; goods are delivered via plane from Kathmandu to Lukla, then by helicopter or porter from Lukla to Namche. The shipping fee for a 2-liter bottle of Coke hovers around $2.60 — more than many Nepalis earn in a day. And Namche Bazaar is more accessible than most villages in upper Khumbu. Such costs make starting a business in the region a daunting commitment.

The tourism drought in the Everest region has depressed demand for local goods, affecting growers, herders and everyone else in the money economy. “Right now, everything is going to credit,” said Krishna, who is relying on the good faith of local grocers for food supplies.“It’s a tight situation for each and every one here right now,” said Menuka Basnet, who along with her father runs the grocery across the street. “We are selling for so little. If we sell for low prices, they’ll ask for lower prices. We have to see if we can give or not. Sometimes we can, and sometimes we can’t.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Where can you go for fun in your city?

Tears grips my heart knowing how hard I've struggled to find a legit trader. I never wanted to do this but I'll be guilty if i don't share this good news to people to join the best trader have ever know. Thanks for helping me and i will forever be grateful to you LISATOWNSENDC

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 11. in İE

Ireland Ireland Latest News, Ireland Ireland Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Newsom proposes $1.5 billion in new small business COVID-19 grantsThe additional funds from federal COVID-19 aid to the state would bring the amount allocated in recent months for grants to $4 billion, which Newsom told business leaders would make it the largest state program of its kind in the country. Is someone being recalled? Paid for by raising taxes on all small business owners. Throwing money and promising to transform schools, fix the homeless crisis, housing crisis, water crisis, fire crisis, power crisis, EDD crisis, business crisis.. CA is 5th largest economy in the world! Who has been in charge/leading California into a total state of CRISIS?🤔🤣
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »

Major cruise ship company may avoid Florida if state doesn't permit Covid-19 vaccination checks, CEO saysFlorida's new law prohibiting businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 may take a toll on its cruise business. Good for Florida! They need customers and Florida has them. They will be going to Florida Stick to your principles Mr CEO!!
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »