Nepal, April 21 -- Escalating tensions in West Asia are taking a visible toll on Nepal's tourism industry, with international travellers cancelling bookings in large numbers across major destinations.

Hotels and tourism operators in Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini report a sharp rise in cancellations, particularly among visitors from Europe and the US. Industry observrs say travel disruptions through Gulf transit hubs, higher airfares and safety concerns have made trips to Nepal less certain.

In Pokhara, the country's main tourist city, occupancy has dropped significantly during the peak spring season. Pokhara Grande, the city's only five-star hotel, said occupancy has fallen to around 50 percent this year, down from about 80 percent in pr...