Tourist length of stay reaches 13 days

The average length of stay of tourists in Nepal increased to a seven-year high of 13.1 days in 2011. Travel trade analysts have attributed this growth to a decline in strikes and increased tourist arrivals for trekking and mountaineering.

According to the Tourism Ministry, visitors coming for trekking and mountaineering in 2011 increased 11.7 percent against a decline of 47.2 percent in 2010. Nepal recorded the highest ever length of stay of 13.51 days in 2004.

Travel trade analysts attribute this growth to fewer strikes during Nepal Tourism Year 2011 when visitors were allowed to travel to all parts of the country. “More tourists visiting places outside the Kathmandu valley has increased the length of stay,” said Suman Pandey, president of Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure.

In the past, regular strikes hit the length of stay of visitors, and tour operators offered three-night, four-day packages in Kathmandu. However, a decline in bandas and strikes since 2010 has encouraged tour operators to offer eight-day tour programmes.

“The greater number of tourists doing the ‘golden triangle’ circuit — Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara — which takes seven-eight days has also contributed to the length of say,” Pandey said. “In the past, visitors shortened their trips due to regular strikes, resulting in reduced length of stay.”      

Apart from leisure activities, the popular trekking routes of Annapurna, Everest and Langtang are the major contributors to increasing the length of stay of tourists. On an average, a trekker spends 12 days on each of these three routes. Similarly, mountaineers spend one month on expeditions to peaks below 7,000 m while they spend two months on Everest expeditions. 

Travel trade entrepreneurs said Chinese and Indians come here for recreation while Europeans and Americans love adventure. However, the increment in tourist stay has not resulted in a rise in their daily spending. According to the ministry, average spending by tourists dropped to US$ 39.90 last year against US$ 43.20 in 2010. The average spending in 2011 has been calculated at the exchange rate of Rs 78 per US$ 1.

Tourist spending in 2011 was the lowest since 2001. In 2001, the average spending from each tourist stood at US$ 39.60 per day. A total of 361,237 foreigners visited Nepal in 2001.

source:The Kathmandu Post,2 June 2012