Tourist arrivals record six per cent increase

Tourist arrivals in February increased by six per cent to 45,123, as compared to the same month last year.

The figure was released by Immigration Office, Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA).

Arrivals from Asia — other than South Asia — recorded a healthy growth of 46 per cent in aggregate, with mixed performance from individual countries. There was a robust growth of 135 per cent in visitor arrivals from China, which is one of the fastest growing tourist markets for Nepal.

Visitor arrivals from Malaysia and Singapore registered a positive growth of 288.1 per cent and 111.9 per cent, respectively.

However, visitor arrivals from Japan, South Korea and Thailand registered a negative growth of 20.1 per cent, 29.4 per cent, and 0.3 per cent, respectively.

Arrivals from South Asia recorded a negative growth of 15.2 per cent, with Pakistan (44.3 per cent) and Sri Lanka (35.3 per cent) registering positive growth. Visitor arrivals from India, which is the largest source market for Nepal, witnessed a decline by 18.2 per cent. Visitor arrivals from Bangladesh declined by 5.3 per cent.

European markets registered a negative growth of 5.5 per cent with major destinations showing mixed reaction in terms of visitor arrivals. Arrivals from Germany and the Netherlands were up by 8.3 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively, while arrivals from the UK, France, Italy, Switzerland and Russia recorded negative growths of six per cent, 13.7 per cent, 31.8 per cent, 8.7 per cent and eight per cent, respectively.

Tourist arrivals from the United States, Canada and New Zealand increased by 11.2 per cent, 42.2 per cent and 44.8 per cent, respectively. However, arrivals from Australia decreased by 5.5 per cent.

A total of 48,783 foreign tourists departed from TIA in February. Number of Nepali arrivals stood at 58,379, while 70,635 departed from Tribhuwan International Airport .

source: The Himalayan Times, 3 march 2013