Nepal Floods Threaten Adventure Tourism After 987 Deaths

According to CNBC, Nepal's adventure tourism industry is facing pressure after devastating flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border killed 987 people and left nearly 4,250 missing, according to authorities on Tuesday. The disaster began on Aug. 26 when a massive glacial collapse in northern Nepal triggered landslides and floods that swept away or cut off communities and damaged roads, bridges and hydropower facilities. Rajendra Bahadur Lama, general secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the floods were a serious warning for the country's tourism industry and urged Nepal to build a safer, smarter and climate-resilient sector. Saroj Bhandari, owner of the Wander Thirst hostel in Kathmandu, said tourists have canceled bookings ahead of Nepal's peak travel season from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15, and he expects his 122-bed hostel to reach only 60% occupancy this year, down from 100% last year. He said most cancellations have come from European tourists. Nepal has reportedly estimated reconstruction costs at between $4 billion and $5 billion, or nearly one-tenth of its economy. China's Foreign Ministry said it is preparing a third batch of emergency aid for Nepal, while Tibet Vista said all of its travelers and team members were safe.