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Tourism on a revival pathSaturday - 05th May 2007 |
| The onset of summer seems to have brought happy tidings for the tourism industry, which is showing a new-found buoyancy. The markets are swarming, restaurants are buzzing and guides are doing brisk business even as tourism entrepreneurs are beginning to lose some of their skepticism. According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the arrival of international tourists by air in the month of April 2007 clocked a staggering growth of 78.8 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. Said a jubilant NTB official, “This trend is likely to continue for a while now, at least until the rainy season begins.” A total of 33,024 visitors came to Nepal during the month, which happens to be the record high of international tourists entering Nepal by air route in April since 2002. Only 18,465 tourists had come to Nepal last April. The most remarkable growth was registered from the Indian market, which increased by 110 per cent while the non-Indian market grew by 70 per cent on an average, informed the official quoting the figures provided by Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. A total of 8,078 Indian tourists came to Nepal compared to last year’s 3,849 visitors. “Since India commands the largest market share of 24 per cent, the growth is very significant. Besides India, for the first time European arrivals particularly from German and French markets have been very encouraging this summer,” informed the NTB source. The Asian segment too registered an immense growth of 137.4 per cent with Japanese arrivals escalating by 90.3 per cent along with Chinese by 267 per cent. The other markets to rise were Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand as well as South Korea and ROC Taiwan. The number of Japanese tourists visiting Nepal stood at 1,951, an up from 1,025 last year, while the Chinese arrivals stood at 1,211 visitors. On the flip side, according to tour operators, most of these international tourists happen to be free individual travelers (FIT) rather than package tour groups which usually spell big money for the industry. “About 70 per cent out of this 79 per cent growth has come from this FIT segment,” points out a tour operator. “These are not the up market segment, but the budget class tourists. So while the eating joints in Thamel may be overflowing, the handicraft showrooms are still empty.” As long as hotels are full and restaurants are busy, it means healthy business for tourism, maintains NTB. “It will take another eight to nine months for a steady stream of high budget international tourists to materialise,” points out the official. |
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Everest Marathon organizers congratulate Roka Tuesday - 19th August 2008 Media Challenge Rafting in Bagmati Tuesday - 19th August 2008 Fishtail Air adds new chopper Thursday - 12th June 2008 Nepal Promotion Program in South Korea Thursday - 12th June 2008 5th Thuraya-TAAN bike meet June 5 Tuesday - 03rd June 2008 Appa tops Everest record 18th time Monday - 26th May 2008 |
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