Tourist arrivals jump 26.4 pc

Tourist arrivals in the month of August increased by 26.4 percent as compared to arrival figures of August last year. According to statistics of Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport, 43,487 tourists visited the country during the period.

Similarly, arrivals during the first eight months of 2011 increased by 24.6 percent.


The arrivals from South Asian region have gained 38.7 percent. The arrivals from this market registered the growth of 39 percent in July and 42.3 percent in June. Compared to other regions, this region has showed positive trend with mixed performance from respective countries.

In the month of May, South Asian arrivals increased by 39.1 percent, April in 28.9 percent and 27.4 percent in March.

Similarly, there was increment of 30.3 percent in February and 36.6 percent in January. The growth was higher than aggregate growth throughout all these months.

Arrivals from India, the major tourist generating market has played a key role in the increment. Indian arrivals increased by 50 percent in the month of August compared to same month last year.

However, arrivals from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have registered negative growth of 20.9 percent, 11.7 percent and 1 percent respectively.

Asia other than South Asian region also registered positive growth with increment in arrivals by 57.2 percent of which growth from Chinese market was outstanding with 157.6 percent.

Likewise the arrivals from Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have also registered positive growth of 9.5, 95.2 percent, 51.6 percent and 55.6 percent respectively.

Europe registered overall positive growth of 0.9 percent. Out of which, arrivals from Belgium, Denmark and Germany increased by 28.2 percent, 16.2 percent and 51.5 percent respectively.

The figures also show increasing trend in the visitor arrivals from Australia and New Zealand with a growth of 19.7 percent and seven percent respectively. Similarly the United States of America and Canada have registered positive growth of 16.9 percent and 33 percent respectively.

Despite, the continuous positive growth, tourism income during fist six months of NTY has declined by 13.3 percent. Nepal Rastra Bank source said a total of Rs 22.91 billion was earned from the tourism sector during this time against Rs 26.40 billion during same period last year.

Source - myrepublica