The homestay service in operation in Bhimdattanagar has seen encouraging results over the last two years with a good flow of tourists.
A homestay named ‘Rana Tharu Homestay’ that lies beside the Shuklaphanta National Park run by the Tharu community, take as an example, received more than 2,500 domestic and foreign tourists over the period.
“The business is doing well lately. The number of tourists coming in group decreased five months ago. But, their flow is picking up lately,” said Chetram Rana, secretary of the homestay management committee.
The facility is being operated from eight houses in the locality. Tarai Arc Landscape Project and the Shuklaphante Buffer Zone management committee have provided technical and physical help to start the project.
What allures tourists visiting the area the most is the clothing of the community. “Foreign tourists like and get attracted to our clothing. They also visit the place to see the longest bridge in South Asia,” said Rana.
The project aims to conserve and protect art, culture and customs of the community, he added.
Different traditional dances would be performed before the guests visiting the homestay as well as an arrangement of exhibition of Tharu customs has been made for them.
Rana is confident that tourists visiting Nepal via west checkpoint would come to visit the homestay after the construction of the concrete bridge at Mahakali river.
New homestay from Maghi
Chaudhary Tharu community has been making preparation to run a homestay at Jonapur of Shuklaphanta municipality-3.
Treasurer at Khairakandra Community Homestay, Jonapur Ram Prasad Chaudhary said that the homestay would be brought into operation from the first week of the third week of January on the occasion of 'Maghi' festival, the main festival of Tharu community.
He said, "We will establish a homestay in nine houses and develop it as a model homestay of province no 7."
Chaudhary further said that Shuklaphanta National Park, National Trust for Nature Conservation and other organizations supported for the establishment of homestay. Shuklaphanta National Park provided technical support for the same.
Three houses have already been constructed and remaining six houses are under construction for the homestay.
Chaudhary said that guests would get more entertainment as the homestay lies near the Park which is six kilometers away from Jhalari bazaar.
