Kathmandu, Oct. 15 -- Mandip Giri fondly recalls the autumns when tourists once filled every corner of Thamel. It was the season of clear skies, crowded trekking shops, and packed hotels as travellers prepared to venture into the Himalayan foothills for weeks of adventure.

"Thamel used to bustle in autumn with almost 100 percent occupancy for small and medium-sized hotels," said Giri, managing director of Dom Himalaya Hotel in Chettrapati, on the western edge of Thamel. "Now, some days we get 30 percent occupancy in our 37-room hotel, some days 40 percent, and if we're lucky, 50 percent."

Where once the alleys of Thamel overflowed with visitors, they stand subdued today. The flow of tourists has thinned dramatically since Generation Z-t...