People walking over rubble in the village of Sathighar, north of Katmandu. Countries and organisations around the world have rushed to help Nepal, where the massive 7.8 magnitude quake has killed more than 5,000 people.

By Updesh Kapur/Doha


The devastating earthquake that rocked the foundations of Nepal has left a deep unimaginable scar that will take years to heal.
The scale of the disaster is difficult to comprehend. But as the world watches images of despair, the extent of the destruction is becoming more apparent by the day.
With the death toll exceeding 5,000 and climbing sharply, prayers seem to be the only consolation for those affected. Many remain buried under rubble, dead or alive. Relief and rescue teams from around the world continue to pour into  Nepal to provide humanitarian assistance. The focus has been on the crippled capital Kathmandu. But attention is switching to reach mountain communities in outlying areas. These efforts, however, are being hampered by inaccessible roads damaged by roads torn apart. Many thousands of people are feared dead in these remote areas closer to the quake epicentre.
Working against the natural elements – aftershocks and heavy rains – also means a race against time for any hope of pulling out alive, trapped men, women and children. As days go by, lack of food, water and medical attention will only realistically turn rescue efforts for survivors into search efforts for bodies.
An already fragile economy, one of the poorest nations on earth, Nepal has been shaken to its roots by last weekend’s tremors. The magnitude 7.8 quake was the country’s worst in 80 years that also triggered avalanches in the scenic Himalayas killing many mountain climbers.
The disaster has hit an economy struggling for survival. Rows over lack of government protection for Sherpa guides who risk death leading foreign climbers to the summit of Mount Everest – Nepal’s signature tourist attraction – has negatively impacted the country’s image. And a series of Everest climbing accidents in recent years claiming dozens of lives, including many Sherpas, hasn’t helped.
Visitors from around the world are lured by Nepal’s predominantly Buddhist temples, mountain retreats and, of course, the challenge of scaling Everest.
According to figures from Nepal’s ministry of culture, tourism and civil aviation, one job is generated by every six tourist visits – and 138,000 people are employed in the sector. Foreign exchange earnings from tourist receipts currently generate 20% of the country’s exports making tourism a major source of revenue.
But tourist numbers have been falling since 2013 after four years of growth. Nearly 800,000 people visited Nepal in 2013, with the biggest source markets being neighbouring India and China.
Part of the funds raised from mountain climbs, which can fetch anything up to $100,000 for a chance to scale the world’s highest peak, go to the government and pumped into local hotels. Despite its renowned status as a mountain paradise, agriculture remains the dominant industry. Around 70% of Nepal’s population earns a living from farming with the industry accounting for over one-third of the economy.
Nepal would urgently like tourist dollars to flow in but the environment is clearly neither practical nor appropriate. Many countries have advised their nationals from travelling to Nepal.
International journalists and relief workers are being put up in hotels which are charging premiums to accommodate the unplanned visitors. A short-term capital gain it may well be, but it is the long-term that Nepal needs to worry about.
Media coverage of the disaster is following a certain pattern of others in the past. The horror of the tragedy, the mounting dead, the countless injured, the miraculous survivors, the tremendous rescue efforts, the global humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of basic infrastructure torn at the core.
The tourism industry faces a problem of epic proportions. Holiday cancellations to Nepal from around the world are multiplying. With historical monuments destroyed and many temples lying in ruins, the current state of infrastructure does not warrant an influx of tourists. Longer term, the rebuilding of Nepal’s tourism industry will depend on how widespread the damage is of tourist attractions, hotels and other lodging establishments across the country, and the speed of both rebuilding and recovery. The country has limited capacity to recover and rebuild on its own. Large-scale international financial and technical support will therefore be the key to the recovery plan and to get it done quickly without unnecessary red tape.
The peak tourist season is four months away. The question is whether the government will look to pump in marketing dollars to lure tourists after the monsoons that end in August and before the winter sets in November. This will not be money wisely spent. The immediate efforts will have to focus on rebuilding which will support all elements of the economy’s revival.
Original estimates suggest $5bn at the minimum and as much as $10bn needed to rebuild the shattered nation according to the US Geological Survey. Nepal needs a huge lift to bring it back to what the nation deserves. The challenge in the weeks and months ahead will be testing times indeed for all stakeholders concerned.

♦ Updesh Kapur (Below) is a PR & communications professional, columnist, aviation, hospitality and travel analyst, social and entertainment writer. He can be followed on twitter @updeshkapur