SATV 11 June, Kathmandu: The number of visitors to Banke National Park (BaNP), the youngest national park established for the conservation of the globally rare Bengal tiger and the protection of a vital biological corridor, has been steadily increasing.

According to Birendra Prasad Kandel, Chief Conservation Officer at BaNP, more than 700 tourists visited the park within the last 10 months since July/August of the current fiscal year to observe Bengal tigers and other wildlife.

He said that 444 tourists visited the park during the fiscal year 2024/25, and with two months still remaining in this fiscal year, the increase to over 700 tourists is a very positive sign. While over 50,000 domestic tourists visit the park's buffer zone each year for picnics and recreational activities, the number of those who venture into the core protected area, home to the wildlife, remains around 700, Kandel said.

According to him, all tourists who entered the core area did so through community homestays operating in the buffer zone. The park has placed special emphasis on encouraging homestay and hotel operators to attract more tourists from the buffer zone into the core area of the park. If the local homestays and hotels could arrange enough safari vehicles for sightseeing, the number of visitors entering the park could increase significantly, Kandel added.

Although the number of visitors coming to see wildlife and natural beauty is gradually increasing, the situation is not yet satisfactory, said Krishnalal Chaudhary, chairperson of the Gavar Valley Community Homestay in the buffer zone.