Chinese arrivals rising steadily

Nepal is seeing a steady a rise in the number of Chinese tourists this season.

According to tourism entrepreneurs, more than 60 percent of total foreign tourists visiting the country, excluding Indians, are from China.

Ghanendra Bahadur Shrestha, treasurer of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said that most of the hotels are filled with Chinese tourists. “Around 50 to 60 percent of the rooms in hotels have been occupied by the Chinese tourists. If it were not for the Chinese tourists, rooms in many hotels would have remained unoccupied," added Shrestha.

Tourism entrepreneurs say number of tourists from Europe and the Americas has not increased much in the absence of marketing and promotion by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the fear of Ebola. Looking at the arrivals trend, they say number of Chinese tourists will increased by at least 30 percent in 2014.

The number of Chinese tourists is growing also because of Nepal´s improved connectivity with Chinese cities. At present, three Chinese airlines -- Air China, China Eastern and China Southern -- link Kathmandu with major Chinese cities. China has also approached Nepal to revise Air Service Agreement (ASA) between the countries, citing increasing travel demand.

Ramesh Dhamala, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), said Chinese tourists have started going on short treks. "We can bring more Chinese tourists by offering them short trekking packages in different parts of the country," Dhamala added.

Ashok Pokharel, president of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), said: “Nepal is a new and emerging destination for Chinese tourists. As it is a short-haul destination, many Chinese are attracted toward Nepal."

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), the number of Chinese tourists increased by 57.48 percent to 113,173 in 2013. In 2012, Nepal had welcomed 71,861 tourists from China. More than 92 percent of the tourists visiting the country in 2013 were first time visitors.

Tourism entrepreneurs say Nepal can attract more Chinese tourists by increasing the number of flights, having more Chinese speaking tour guides, increasing participation in Chinese travel fairs, and publishing promotional materials in Mandarin.

Shrestha of HAN said more Chinese tourists can be attracted by devising packages as per their tastes.

source: republica,13 oct 2014