Impact of COVID-19 on lodge owners: the perspective of Pasang Lophen

Pasang Lophen, 28, is the owner of Buddha comfort lodge in Kyanjin Gompa in Langtang. His family built the lodge 30 years ago and he runs the family business now. According to Mr. Lopchen, two big disasters have completely drained the tourism dynamics of Nepal. First, the destructive earthquakes of 2015 and now the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide.

The last 2 seasons ended without any income for Mr. Lopchen. It has been hard for him and for the whole tourism industry nationwide. Ongoing project progress of Climate Trek Nepal has been put on hold due to the unavailability of raw materials. The workers limited mobility in times of lockdown was also slowing down the progress. Another lodge owner was even more worried: “If it consistently influences our business in Langtang, very soon it will have an impact on our ability to eat or live here.”

However, Mr. Lopchen is very hopeful about the Climate Trek Nepal’s project implementation in the region. He expects to resume the project work once the lockdown in Nepal ends. The project implementation is assumed to get back on track next year. Mr. Lopchen also expresses his hopes about the next season, that tourism in Langtang and in the whole country will face substantial change again due to the awaiting bookings of tourists worldwide.