Tourist arrivals via air up 3.1pc in May

Tourist arrivals via air in the month of May have increased by a meager 3.1 percent to 44,156 compared to the same month last year.

Figures released by Tribhuvan International Airport show a significant rise in the number of Chinese and Malaysian tourists.

In May, the number of Chinese visitors increased by 43.6 percent to 3, 314. In the first five months of this year, 25,341 Chinese visited Nepal — up 25.9 percent.

Tourist arrivals from Malaysia increased by 142.7 percent to 1,609, according to the statistics. In the first five months, arrivals from Malaysia amounted to 6,647 — up 147.7 percent.

However, arrivals from India, which holds 23.7 percent of the total tourist share, dropped 9by .5 percent to 18,232. Arrivals from India have been falling since October last year. In January-May, Indian visitor numbers stood at 57,101.  

Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) have recorded a healthy growth of almost 48 percent in aggregate. Arrivals from Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand have registered a growth of 5.6 percent, 142.7 percent, 40.9 percent, and 47.1 percent, respectively. However, arrivals from Singapore dropped by 3 percent in May.

Arrivals from South Asian region dropped 8.1 percent. Visitor numbers from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan dropped 12.7 percent, 27.4 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively in May.

European markets registered negative growth of 3.3 percent with major destinations showing mixed reaction in terms of visitor arrivals. Arrivals from France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and Sweden are up by 3.6 percent, 0.4 percent, 19.8 percent, 9.7 percent, 33.6 percent and 29.8 percent, respectively.

However, arrivals from the UK, Denmark, Spain, Italy and Russia fell by 1.7 percent, 38.3 percent, 19 percent, 12.5 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively.

Tourist arrivals from USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have increased by 17.3 percent, 12.7 percent, 21.1 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively. A total of 58,195 foreign tourists departed from TIA in May 2013.

The Nepal Tourism Board said Nepal celebrated Mt Everest Diamond Jubilee on May 29 remembering the two heroic souls — Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary - amid a grand function. “The celebration has given an unprecedented opportunity to promote Nepal as one of the best adventure destinations on the planet through the international media that came to Nepal to attend this event.”

source:the kathmandu post,4 june 2013