The country witnessed
over half a million arrivals by air in 2012 but the visitor arrivals growth rate
has dropped compared to last two years. In the year 2011 the arrivals growth rate
stood at 21.4 per cent but in the year
2012, the arrivals growth rate stood at 9.8 per cent only.
"The total number
of tourist arrivals by air in aggregate in the year has increased by almost 10
per cent to 598,204 compared to 2011," according to figures released by
Immigration Office at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA).
Total tourist arrivals
was 53,219 more than in 2011, the data revealed, adding that 2012 concluded
with a positive note both in terms of total visitor arrivals in December and
also for the whole year. TIA figures revealed that arrivals in December stood
at 44,774, some 2.4 per cent more than in the same month last year.
Arrivals from Asia —
except South Asia — registered a positive growth of 15.1 per cent in the year,
whereas in December alone, arrivals from the Asian market recorded a 10.3 per
cent growth in aggregate with Malaysia (141.5 per cent), Japan (11.8 per cent),
Singapore (12.1 per cent), and Thailand (25.9 per cent). However, China and
South Korea registered a negative growth of 3.1 per cent and 1.6 per cent,
respectively, compared to the same month in 2011.
Likewise, the South
Asian market registered a positive growth of 10.4 per cent in 2012 with
arrivals from Pakistan and Sri Lanka increasing by 4.1 per cent and 20.6 per
cent, respectively, whereas arrivals from India and Bangladesh declined by 10.4
per cent and 19.7 per cent, respectively, in a month in December.
However, an overall
positive growth of 3.5 per cent has been witnessed from European markets in
December and 4.5 per cent in the whole year. Arrivals from the UK, Austria,
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, were up by 11.9 per cent,
25.6 per cent, 14.3 per cent, 23.7 per cent, 10.3 per cent, 14.2 per cent and
114.3 per cent, respectively. But Belgium, Spain and Russia posted negative
growth of 22.8 per cent, 27.7 per cent and 32.5 per cent, respectively.
Arrivals from the
Oceania — Australia and New Zealand — and North America — Canada and USA —
posted an overall positive growth in the year by 15.1 per cent and 10.4 per
cent, respectively. "Tourist arrivals from Australia, New Zealand, Canada
and USA registered a remarkable growth of 24.4 per cent, 20.3 per cent, 7.5 per
cent and 4.9 per cent, respectively, in December compared to December 2011.
According to the United
Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), international tourism witnessed a
moderate growth in 2012 with over one billion international tourist arrivals.
The one billionth mark is a new record for international tourism — a sector
that accounts for one in every 12 jobs and 30 per cent of the world’s services
exports — and UNWTO asserted that the comparative strength of tourism in a
period of continued economic uncertainty is confirmed by the positive trend on
tourism earnings and expenditures.
Globally, international
tourism results have so far not been seriously affected by the economic
volatility, with growth continuing above the average of 3.8 per cent a year
projected for the decade 2010-2020, according to UNWTO’s long-term forecast Tourism
Towards 2030. It has estimated a moderate growth rate of two to four per
cent in 2013.
Similarly, a total of
688,566 foreign tourists departed, whereas 736,679 Nepalis arrived and 862,416
Nepalis departed, respectively, from the international airport. A total of
54,885 foreign tourists departed from TIA in December, whereas some 61,823
Nepalis arrived and some 93,133 Nepalis departed from TIA in December alone.
Top five markets
India — 164,680
China — 53,373
USA — 41,908
UK — 35,583
Germany — 24,575
(Source: Nepal
Tourism Board) 
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