Few people visit Chitwan during the summer. But at this time, after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held its first general convention in Chitwan, there was a lot of activity in the hotels. The hotels in Sauraha and Bharatpur Narayangadh areas became crowded with delegates from the convention and those coming to watch the inauguration program. Hoteliers said that after the inauguration, people other than the delegates started returning.

‘Especially on Saturday and Sunday, the rooms in the hotels in the Narayangadh area were full.’ After the inauguration, people other than the delegates have started returning from Monday. Some hotels here are 75 percent vacant,’ said Yagya Bahadur Karki, senior vice-president of the Chitwan Hoteliers Association. The party had asked for details of the hotel rooms, prices and service facilities to accommodate the delegates.

Karki said that details of about 1,300 rooms in all the small and big hotels in Narayangadh, Bharatpur, and Jugedi areas have been provided to the convention organizing committee. Karki says that all the hotels were full on Saturday and Sunday. ‘There were few guests at this time.’ The convention was a great relief,’ he said.

Rajan Gautam, the coordinator of the convention’s accommodation and food subcommittee, and a central member of the party, said that the delegates themselves would bear the expenses of staying in the hotel. Gautam said that the party had already provided the names, services, and price details of the hotels for the delegates. Ratnanagar was initially decided for the convention. It was finally shifted to Bharatpur.

That is why many delegates booked Sauraha, Karki said. Mahesh Khanal, General Secretary of the Regional Hotel Association (HAN) Chitwan Sauraha, said that the general convention representatives of the Nepali Congress were staying in Sauraha in large numbers. All 65 rooms of his hotel were filled. Of these, only eight rooms were occupied by foreign tourists. All the others were delegates who had come to the general convention. They were able to stay because they had booked six months in advance.

Fewer tourists come in the summer. That is why there was a 20 percent discount for the general convention delegates staying in Sauraha. Hotels in the Bharatpur Narayangadh area had given a 25 percent discount. There are 11,000 hotel rooms in Sauraha that can accommodate 10,000 people. There are more than 4,000 general convention delegates of the Nepali Congress. Khanal said that more than 50 percent of the delegates have come to Sauraha.

HAN President Om Pandey says that not all the hotels in Sauraha have delegates staying. ‘We also have a hotel in Narayangadh.’ There is also a hotel in Sauraha. The hotel in Sauraha is almost empty. The delegates of the general convention are staying in the hotel in Narayangadh,' said Pandey.'

There has also been an increase in activity in the restaurant sector. 'Saturday and Sunday were holidays.' The general convention of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) started from Sunday. These days, there is a lot of activity in the Sauraha area.' said Dipendra Khatiwada, former president of Reban Sauraha. 56 restaurants are affiliated with Reban. Including those not affiliated with Reban, Khatiwada says there are about 65 bars and restaurants in Sauraha. 'There has been a lot of activity in the restaurants for the past two-three days,' he said.'

According to Han General Secretary Khanal, the delegates of the general convention have not been involved in jungle safaris and other tourist activities due to the closed session.' He said, 'They are searching. They have indicated that they will go to the forest even if it is the last day.'

Recently, Nepali and some Chinese and Indian tourists have been visiting during the holidays. General Secretary Khanal said that the general convention has provided additional relief to hoteliers. 'Rooms have been booked from Saturday to Tuesday for the general convention. It is not possible to say how much the overall business has increased. But there has been relief,' Khanal said.