Chitwan National Park is the country's first destination for wildlife viewing i.e. jungle safari tourism. With the beginning of the festival season due to Barkha Mantar, the activity of local and foreign tourists increases in places like Sauraha, Patihani, Meghauli, Amaltari, Pitholi in Nikunjaad. But this time, just before the festival, the Zen-ji movement took place.

The effects of suppression by the government on the first day of the Gen-G movement and vandalism and arson by the protesters on the second day have now been seen in the tourist areas here.

On August 23, the day the Zen-G movement began, there were 40 tourists from China and India at the hotel of Mahesh Khanal, a tourist businessman in Sauraha. When their vehicle left the hotel, no other vehicle entered the hotel. "There are only a few guests in the hotel," said Khanal. Foreign tourists coming on safari, conferences and seminars of governmental and non-governmental organizations and various programs of business establishments were held in his hotel. He said that after Jen-G's protest, the programs that had already been booked started to be canceled in a hurry.

'Bookings of commercial establishments up to October have been cancelled. There are no tourists. Advance bookings have also started to be canceled. There is no possibility of government-non-government associations-seminars. Overall, the signal is not good,' said Khanal. Khanal is also the general secretary of Sauraha Regional Hotel Association. He said that he has received information that the advance bookings of tourists have started to be canceled in all hotels.

Chitwan Park is home to the world's rarest wild animals - one-horned rhinoceros, spotted tigers. Around three lakh tourists from home and abroad come to Chitwan every year to see these animals. Tourists ride jeeps or elephants to visit the forest. They go on foot to the park and go on boat safaris on rivers and streams with trained nature guides. Such safari tourism was badly affected by the earthquake 10 years ago, the blockade and the corona infection five years ago. The bad condition of the road added to the problem. After the earthquake, the number of foreign tourists was decreasing. But after the Corona period, the number of domestic tourists increased rapidly. Last year, when the number of domestic tourists also decreased significantly, the number of foreign tourists showed some improvement, so the hope increased.

Out of the 10 entry points to Chitwan Park, Sauraha is the main entry point. More than 80 percent of tourists visit the park from here. According to Sant Magar, head of the eastern sector office of Chitwan National Park in Sauraha, a total of 7,159 tourists from Sauraha visited the park in the month of August, including 3,412 domestic tourists, 3,013 foreigners and 734 from SAARC countries. At the beginning of the year, tourism professionals were excited as foreign tourists were about to arrive near the natives.

But after August 23 and 24, the situation was different. At the Sauraha counter, which used to be around 300 tourists a day, it has gone from 50 to 70 and now it has barely exceeded 150. Tourists who come to Sauraha go on an elephant safari in the central community forest of Nikunjaad. Normally, the pressure on safari increases after mid-August. 'In normal times, 35/36 elephants used to go on safari at this time. Due to the state of the country after the Gen-G movement, tourists stopped coming. It is not zero. Now there are only three-four elephants on safari,' said Dipendra Khatiwada, president of United Elephant Management Cooperative, which is run by elephant owners who go on safari.

There is no jeep safari inside the park during the rainy season. After the first week of October, businessmen are busy preparing to start jeep safaris inside the park as well. Rishi Tiwari, chairman of Nikunj Safari Pvt. Ltd., which conducts jeep safaris inside the park, says that from this year, safaris will also be run on new routes using jeeps with facilities. The situation of the country has shocked the tourism businessmen who are going to start safari from 32 jeeps with comfortable seats after 6th or 7th of October.

'However, we are hopeful. Now the long vacation is starting. It seems that they come to visit at this time,' Tiwari said. Even though it is closed within the park, there is a jeep safari in the Kumroz Central Community Forest near Sauraha during the rainy season. Raju Silwal, chairman of the forest, said that in normal conditions, 50 consignments of jeep safaris are conducted daily at this time. But after August 23, even if it is not zero, at most 15/20 consignments are sent out in a day, he said. But today, Friday, Nepalese were also seen in three jeeps. So now I see hope that the movement will increase,' said President Silwal.

In the west area of ​​the park, Patihani, Ghadgai, Jagatpur, Meghauli area, bookings are also canceled. Manesh Limbu, president of Meghauli-Ghadgai Nature Guide Association, said, 'We hoped that this time would be good, but now many friends and hotels are saying that bookings have been canceled. This season is like this web. Elections are called again in the next season. If the environment is not handled even then, there is a danger that it will get worse this year.'

In Chitwan, there was no activity causing damage to tourist areas and structures and government offices related to this movement. "Therefore, it seems that local and foreign tourists will come if we increase the publicity that the tourism sector and infrastructure are safe," said Mahesh Khanal, general secretary of the regional hotel association Sauraha. Dipendra Khatiwada, chairman of the Elephant Safari Cooperative, also sees the possibility of tourists coming from abroad if the air flights are regular.