The newly opened Homestay had to close after Covid-19 hit tourism activities. Unable to entertain the tourists, the house was closed. Many of the homestays had to even stop the service for a very long time. Whereas, some of them kept only a few guests. Two years after the onset of the epidemic, the housing business remained unpleasant.

 The houses that were open to support rural tourism were not able to move fully. The operator was worried about the futility of the investment. Grants given by the state were also wasted. As the epidemic draws to a close, tourism entrepreneurs, frustrated with the future of housing, now look a bit optimistic.

 The infection of Covid-19 is declining slowly and the public life is normal. Tourism activities have started increasing. The positive effects of which are sure to be seen in the home business as well. Chham Bahadur Kaucha, the manager of ‘Siddhathan Community House’ in Galkot Municipality-10, Pandavakhani, said that they are eager to serve the guests. “It was not possible to do as expected due to Corona. Now that the situation has returned to normal, there is hope that tourists will come,” he said. Entrepreneurs were hit when the epidemic started in the same year that the house came into operation. Business was sluggish for almost two years. There is housing service in seven homestays of Siddhathan.

 It can accommodate up to 40 guests at a time. Family environment, local cuisine in food, original culture, lifestyle and trekking to the tourist destination are the attractions there. “In the kitchen, Dhindo, Ato and other village products are cooked. We also show culture like Salaijo and Zhaure to attract tourists,” said Kaucha. Meat dishes also use local chicken and goat meat. After reaching Siddhathan, tourists can visit Ghumteko Lake, Panchdhara, Kavre village etc. From there, you can climb the hill in a two-and-a-half hour trek. Ghumte is one of the 100 most visited tourist destinations in Gandaki.

 If the tourists want, they can also see the famous Sati Ghat of Pandavakhani, says the host. The Ministry of Tourism of Gandaki had also given a grant of Rs. 1 million for the construction of housing infrastructure. Siddhathan Gharbas can be reached by a 60 km motor journey from the district headquarters Baglung Bazaar. The Torikhola community house in Galkot is also a tourist hotspot. The homestay in Ward No. 2 Narethanti also became deserted during the epidemic.

 Last month, the Gandaki Pradesh Committee of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) conducted a two-day journalism training there. At that time, active journalists from all over the district had gathered at Torikhola. Kumar, chairman of the board of directors of the housing board, is confident that tourists will enter the country once the situation is eased. “This is not always the case. After the opening of all the areas, the number of tourists will also increase. It will also benefit the villagers,” he said. Eleven households in Torikhola provide housing services. It can accommodate up to 60 guests per night.