Taking Flights Higher

The hospitality business in Bhairahawa and the vicinity is still in the doldrums. It seems that the spirited business people are now paying the piper for they poured money into setting up hotels and other infrastructures with the hope that local economy will take off once the Gautam Buddha International Airport comes into full operation. But they are now facing difficulty in repaying their loans to the banks for the business activities have not increased as much-touted airport has failed to attract more airlines. It witnessed a brief operation by Jazeera Air and Himalayan Airlines but it ran out of international flights for about 10 months before Air Asia resumed its flights on November 3. The airport was expected to increase the inflow of tourists, especially the religious ones desirous of setting foot in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.