Tourist arrivals continue to increase

Despite Sri Lankan and Indian visitors arrival decline, the South Asian visitors' arrival propelled the April arrivals figure.

"The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveals that visitors arrival in April -- compared with the same month last year -- increased by 2.3 per cent to 38,694," said Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

The arrivals from South Asian region -- excluding the arrivals from India and Sri Lanka -- have gained 4.9 per cent from Bangladesh (up by 71.2 per cent) and Pakistan (up by 35.1 per cent) registering positive growth.

Visitors' arrival from India -- which is the largest source market for Nepal - has registered sustained growth since the beginning of 2010, witnessed soft decline by 2.6 per cent. Visitors arrival from Sri Lanka has also declined by 21.5 per cent. A robust growth of 15.9 per cent has been observed in the arrivals from the South Asian region during the first four months of 2010, in comparison to the same period last year.

In April, there has been sustained growth of 45.3 per cent in visitor arrivals from China which is one of the fastest growing tourist markets for Nepal. Similarly arrivals from Asia -- other than South Asia -- have maintained the upward trend, said the NTB.

Visitor arrivals from Malaysia and South Korea, have registered a positive growth of 14.2 per cent, and 20.3 per cent respectively. Visitor arrivals in the first four months of 2010 from Asia -- other than South Asia -- in comparison with the same period last year, has grown by 32.4 per cent in aggregate.

The figures also show increasing visitor arrivals from the United States of America and Canada with a growth of three per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively. However Australia and New Zealand have registered negative growth by 15 per cent and 9.3 per cent respectively.

European markets registered negative growth of 5.5 per cent with major destinations showing mixed reaction in terms of visitor arrivals. Arrivals from Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Poland and Russia are up by 5.7 per cent, 61.4 per cent, four per cent, 15.5 per cent, 67.2 per cent and 11.6 per cent respectively.

However, other destinations in Western Europe have posted weaker arrivals figures. Arrivals from the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands have declined by 15.1 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 11.2 per cent respectively.

This is the eleventh consecutive month Nepal has witnessed growth in the international tourist arrivals and this confirms the improved prospects for Nepal in the year 2010 with rising business and consumer confidence. In the first four months of 2010 a robust 21 per cent of cumulative growth has been observed in comparison to the same period last year.

A total of 49,096 foreign tourists departed from TIA in April 2010.The number of Nepalis arrivals stood at 50,672 while 66,757 Nepalis departed from TIA in April 2010.