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Tourist arrivals via air decline

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Though arrivals via air from other destinations increased, the decrease in arrivals from South Asia, especially India, has pulled down overall tourist arrivals in April.

Visitor arrivals in April dropped by 8.9 per cent to 54,119 compared to the same month last year, revealed the figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) today. In the same month last year, 59,415 arrivals via air were recorded.

The SAARC segment shows a 21.6 per cent decline compared to the same month last year, it said, adding India showed a decline of 25.3 per cent. “Similarly, arrivals from Pakistan and Sri Lanka also witnessed a negative growth of 10.9 per cent and three per cent, respectively, though arrivals from Bangladesh registered a positive growth of 16.6 per cent.”

However, arrivals from Asia — other than South Asia — have recorded a positive growth of 18.1 per cent in aggregate.

Visitor arrivals from China — one of the fastest growing tourist markets for Nepal — recorded a growth of 26.6 per cent to 4,686 as compared to same month last year. Similarly, Malaysia (158.3 per cent) and Thailand (15.3 per cent) also maintained the upward trend.

But arrivals from Japan (9.6 per cent), South Korea (5.8 per cent), and Singapore (4.5 per cent) witnessed a negative growth in April, it added.

European markets also posted weaker arrivals as it registered an overall negative growth by 14.3 per cent. Visitor arrivals from France, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Sweden registered positive growth of 0.4 per cent, 9.9 per cent, 7.6 per cent, 1.1 per cent, and 20.7 per cent, respectively.

Arrivals from UK, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain and Russia declined by 14.8 per cent, 23.1 per cent, 49.2 per cent, 22.8 per cent, 29.5 per cent and eight per cent, respectively, compared to same month last year.

Likewise, arrivals from Australia, New Zealand and US also posted positive growth of 6.7 per cent, 5.2 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively. Canada showed a decrease in arrival figures by 35 per cent.

The continuous drop in visitor arrivals — in January, March and April — has pulled the aggregate visitor arrivals by 5.3 per cent to 197,014 for the period between January and April, compared to the same period last year. From the beginning of 2013, arrivals via air has seen a decline — except in February — as compared to last year.

A total of 66,107 foreign tourists departed from TIA, whereas 62,488 Nepalis arrived and 75,323 Nepalis departed from TIA in April.

source:the himalayan times,2 may 2013