After a dismal period that threatened to push the tourism sector to the brink of collapse, hotel entrepreneurs can finally breathe a sigh of relief, as the sector may be on the way to recovery. According to the Hotel Association Nepal, the umbrella body of the tourist standard hotels in Nepal, hotels have around 50 per cent occupancy. Even as the rate is a far cry from the 90 per cent occupancy witnessed in earlier years, the occupancy is the highest since the country was devastated by the earthquakes of April and May. The border blockade by the agitating Madhes-based political parties had further affected the flow of tourists. “The whole tourism industry including the hotels had suffered badly last year due to earthquakes and then the border blockade,” said BK Shrestha, president of HAN. Shrestha, who operates Hotel Radisson in the Capital, said hoteliers might finally have a reason to cheer with the gradual rise in the arrival of tourists.