Kathmandu, Aug. 26 -- It was Nepal's misfortune that all the expensive preparations for Visit Nepal 2020 during which the country hoped to attract a record 2 million visitors have gone to waste because of the Covid-19 crisis.

For five months now, regular international domestic flights have been grounded. Kathmandu airport is scheduled to reopen for limited regular flights next week, but may not be fully operational at least till early next year. Trekking trails are all empty and there were no crowds on the south side of Mt Everest this spring.

Nepal's tourism industry is on the brink of collapse. Some restaurants and bars that opened after the 21 July easing are closed again. Some hotels are getting business from being turned into quara...