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scrutiny of rules of engagement.
Opposition parties and political elders— From Sher Bahadur Deuba to Pushpa Kamal Dahal( Prachanda), established politicians were both targets of protesters’ anger and potential power brokers in the transition. Some face public calls to retire from frontline politics.
In the immediate aftermath the interim government declared a state of emergency, dissolved parliament, and announced a three-member judicial commission to probe the violence with a three-month mandate. International actors, including the UN and foreign diplomatic missions, urged restraint and demanded transparent investigations. Elections have been slated for March 2026, but analysts warn the timeline could slip if the interim administration extends its mandate to manage law and order or complete inquiries. Meanwhile, the president and interim prime minister have signalled some willingness to hold those responsible to account, including travel bans on implicated political figures.
Nepal’ s economy leans heavily on tourism: trekking, pilgrimage and adventure travel bring vital foreign exchange, especially during the autumn and spring seasons. The protests and subsequent violence disrupted the immediate travel calendar: Kathmandu’ s Tribhuvan International Airport was briefly affected during the unrest, curfews were in place in many cities, and several governments( including the U. S.) issued travel advisories urging caution and reconsideration of non-essential travel. Airlines temporarily adjusted schedules; some operators postponed group treks.
Tourism has long been the country’ s calling card. From the snowbound amphitheatre of Annapurna Base Camp to the bustling backpacker quarters of Thamel, Nepal thrives on the steady stream of trekkers, pilgrims, and adventure seekers who pour into the country every autumn. This year, though, the timing could not have been worse. The unrest arrived just as the high season began. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, international arrivals plunged by nearly a third during the peak weeks of protest. Bookings evaporated overnight. Hoteliers in Pokhara spoke of rooms sitting empty, while trekking agencies in Kathmandu fielded panicked calls from clients who had seen footage of burning buildings on international news.
Tejashwi Shrestha, Executive Manager of Traditional Comfort and Traditional Stay Hotels in Kathmandu, says they saw a definite decline, " we observed minor fluctuations in bookings as some international visitors postponed for rescheduled trips, out of caution."
The damage was not only reputational. Protesters targeted symbols of wealth and authority, and several lakeside hotels and restaurants in Pokhara were looted or torched. In a city that serves as the gateway to Annapurna and Mustang, the images of smouldering resorts sent a chilling signal to the outside world.
“ We had groups from Europe and North America lined up for October,” said Bijay Lamichhane, of Ride Ultimate Adventures.“ Now half of them have either postponed or cancelled. The rest are still undecided.”
The fallout was swift across Nepal’ s key tourist markets. Indian and Bangladeshi travellers— who make up a large portion of short-haul visitors— began cancelling festival season trips. Chinese arrivals, which had been steadily growing before the unrest, dropped sharply after state media carried images of burning hotels and clashes with police. Even tourists already in the country altered their itineraries, avoiding cities and heading straight for the relative calm of the trekking trails.
Tsering Phuntsok Thakuri, of Smookies Adventure, a tour and logistic management business based in Kathmandu, also felt the impact,“ with all [ the ] violence and destruction it did effect the pre booked and pre planned schedules,” although he is confident that things will soon return, or even better, pre-protest times, a sentiment backed by Ms Shrestha, " we anticipate a gradual return to normal occupancy. While there may be a temporary slowdown, Nepal’ s tourism is resilient. With proper promotion and reassurance, bookings are likely to rebound steadily over the coming months."
Governments abroad added fuel to the fire. The United States and several European nations issued updated travel advisories urging caution, while insurance companies began reviewing their policies. For long-haul travellers who plan their Himalayan expeditions months in advance, even the hint of instability was enough to push Nepal off the shortlist. Operators spoke of“ ghost bookings”— clients who had paid deposits but were now holding off on final payments, waiting to see how the situation played out.
“ The US and India have too much to say in local politics as well as local business,” explained Mr Lamichhane.“ Geopolitics are always at play and too many people don’ t come and see for themselves.”
The Nepal Tourism Board scrambled to counter the narrative, relaunching its promotional campaign under the banners # NepalNow and # NowInNepal. Officials argued that while Kathmandu and Pokhara had seen unrest, rural trekking routes remained open and safe. They pointed to Everest, Langtang, and Mustang, where guides and porters carried on with their work largely untouched by the political chaos. Yet marketing alone could not disguise the reality: the protests had struck a devastating blow during the year’ s most lucrative season.
For tourism businesses, survival has meant improvisation. Agencies have offered flexible
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