Chinese bring respite to tourism in lean season

Along with the increase in the number of arrivals, Chinese tourists have also become a savior for tourism industry during the current lean season. Pokhara based tourism entrepreneurs said that Chinese tourist have started traveling throughout the year.

The increasing air connectivity between China and Nepal and traveling culture of Chinese tourists are the major contributing factors, according to entrepreneurs.

President of Western Regional Hotel Association Biplav Paudel said the warm hospitality of Nepalis has impressed Chinese tourists and it was helping to bring more Chinese tourist to the country. “Direct flight between Kunming and Kathmandu has helped the growth in number of Chinese tourist during ´off-season´,” he said.

Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) had also organized a promotional campaign in Chinese City, Kunming last year.

According to the entrepreneurs, Chinese used to visit Pokhara during January, February and October only but the trend now has changed with Chinese tourists visiting Nepal all round the year. Jason Hou who runs a Chinese restaurant in Pokhara said, “Previosuly Chinese were seen in few months of the year but now the restaurant is almost occupied by Chinese only.” He further said that because of Chinese tourists, there was no feeling of off-season.

Statistics at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) show that out of 25,000 Chinese arrivals in Nepal in 2010, around 11,000 visited Pokhara. The number is estimated to more than double in Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011.

Dhurba Paudel who is working as Chinese tourist guide said that the average stay of Chinese has increased from a week to 10 days. “They (Chinese tourists) are not just helping our business but also supporting tourism in places like Sauraha and Lumbini by traveling all year round,” he said.

The package of Chinese tourist mostly included visit to Pokhara, Chitwan and Nagarkot or Dhulikhel.

Airline companies are also benefitting with increasing travel culture of this segment. “In recent months most of our passengers are Chinese tourists,” station manager of Buddha Air Gautam Baral said. He further said that out of the total tourists traveling in dollar fare Kathmandu-Pokhara sector, around 60 percent were Chinese tourists.

Tikaram Sapkota, president of Pokhara Tourim Council and member of NTB said, “As the Chinese economy is getting stronger, the number of travelers is increasing globally.” He said that Chinese who were traveling at present were mostly upscale and willing to spend more.

Entrepreneurs said that paragliding and sight-seeing were top two preferences of most of the Chinese tourists. However, trekking has not yet attracted them much.
Chinese tourist Xing Yan said, “I was always interested to visit Nepal as it is our neighboring country and the natural beauty has always attracted me.” She said that she was highly impressed with Nepali hospitality.

source: republica, 21 April 2012