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Indian package tourists throng Nepal:Sunday - 04th September 2005 |
| By Sudeshna Sarkar, Kathmandu: Though New Delhi's relations with Kathmandu have reached a low following King Gyanendra's power grab, the Indian tourist's love affair with Nepal has hit a record high - registering 80 percent growth in arrivals of visitors by air. The number is likely to go yet higher with thousands of Indians crossing into the Himalayan kingdom daily by road. With three months having elapsed after the lifting of the three-month state of emergency imposed by King Gyanendra in February, the Indian traveller's confidence in Nepal as a safe destination was rising, a survey said. The ministry of culture, tourism and civil aviation, quoting the Immigration Office at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, said while the non-Indian market declined by nearly seven percent, arrivals from South Asian countries marked a growth of 82 percent with a record growth of 80 percent in Indian arrivals. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the nodal agency for promoting tourism in Nepal, conducted a survey among incoming Indian visitors at the airport to ascertain the factors behind the increased arrivals. The survey found the Indian tourist was heading towards Nepal, about an hour's flight away from New Delhi and Kolkata, because it was an ideal location for short holidays for families. With six airlines providing direct flights between Kathmandu and several key Indian metros, Nepal was also regarded as better accessible by Indian visitors. But perhaps the most clinching factor was the competitive packages offered by the airlines, hotels and especially casinos. More than 65 percent of the respondents were on a package tour being offered by the casinos with airlines and hotels. According to it, 41 percent of the visitors came with their families and over 80 percent of the respondents said they had no safety fears. About 44 percent of the visitors were making a repeat trip. The growth can also be attributed to NTB's media campaign in India, especially its advertisements on the popular Aaj Tak channel as well as on Radio Mirchi FM station. Nepal's SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) neighbour Bangladesh also showed an unprecedented growth with visitors increasing by 186 percent over the figure in August 2004. Among the other Asian segment Chinese visitors grew by 78 percent and Taiwanese by 55 percent. However, Nepal's primary Asian market Japan continued to decline, dropping by 21 percent. In the non-Indian market, German visitors dwindled by three percent, French by eight percent, and the Spanish and Italian visitors by 36 percent and 30 percent respectively. Arrivals from the US also came down by four percent. |
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