COVID-19 Lockdowns and Travel Restrictions: A Tale of Travelers’ Plight on Nepal

Abstract

COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China on 31 December 2019. Since then, death toll and the number of infected individuals continue to be reported all over the globe despite travel restrictions. Nepal, atop its nature as a land-locked country, was not exempted from travel bans. Albeit aviation restrictions have been partially eased on September 2020, Nepal still suffers a major setback since tourism contributes to about 8% of the country’s GDP. This qualitative research conducted using online platforms aims to survey two facets of travel during COVID-19: seasonal travel patterns and the plight travelers had to face that depends on transport. Temporary limitation of peoples’ movement across borders for the sole purpose of recreation may be of import but great is the plight of individuals who were locally stranded or those whose livelihood cannot proceed amidst travel bans. This paper seeks to assess how tourism and travel in lockdown fared in Nepal during the pandemic.

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