July 25: The number of tourists arriving in Chitwan has recorded a fifty per cent decline in the last fiscal year.    
Majority of the tourists coming to Chitwan National Park go on a jungle safari, which is the main attraction of the district.  Government data show a significant decline in tourist arrival due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the last fiscal year (FY 2020/21), a total of 92,209 tourists went for a jungle safari in the park, which was 182,435 in the previous fiscal year (FY 2019/20), the state-owned national news agency RSS reported.    
The number of domestic tourists visiting the park however saw only a minor decline, with 89,441 visiting the park in the last fiscal year. The number was 89,601 in the FY 2019/20.    
The record of foreign tourists (excluding SAARC countries) visiting the park was only 1,244 in the review period. From the SAARC member states, 1,364 people arrived at Chitwan National Park in FY 2020/21. The number was 14,239 from SAARC countries and 78,755 from other countries in FY 2019/20.    
Coronavirus pandemic was the major reason for the decline in the number of tourist visiting Chitwan, Chief Projection Officer of the CNP Ananath Baral told RSS.    
Meanwhile, the park has also suffered a significant loss in annual income due to low tourist arrival. The park collected Rs 25.5 million in tourist fees in FY 2020/21 against Rs 187.3 million in the previous fiscal year.    
President of Regional Hotel Association, Chitwan, Dipak Bhattarai said that the tourism sector of Chitwan continues to be hit by several incidents in the recent past years. After the earthquake, economic blockade by India and obstruction in Narayangadh-Mugling road, COVID-19 has further deteriorated the tourism sector.  

Besides Chitwan, Pokhara, Lumbini, Everest, Mustang and Rara are the other famous tourist destinations of Nepal