Growth rate of visitor arrivals drops to six per cent

The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveal that visitor arrivals in the month of Feb 2013, compared to the same month last year, have increased by six per cent to 45,123. However, the overall growth rate of tourists arrivals via air in the same month last year stood at 13.7 per cent to 42,716 on strong South Asian visitor arrivals, especially Indian visitors, whose arrivals this February has seen a negative growth of 18.2 per cent – compared to the same month last year  – pulling the overall growth rate down. “Some 9,069 Indian visitors landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in February from last February’s 11,093,” according to the data compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board that has been promoting tourism in various Indian cities.

However, the arrivals from China – another largest market – have recorded an increase of 135 per cent in February compared to the same month last year. 

Arrivals from Asia – other than South Asia – have also recorded healthy growth of 46 per cent in aggregate with mixed performance from the individual countries, the data revealed, adding that visitor arrivals from Malaysia and Singapore and have registered a positive growth of 288.1 per cent, and 111.9 per cent respectively. However, visitor arrivals from Japan, South Korea and Thailand have registered negative growth of 20.1 per cent, 29.4 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively.

The arrivals from South Asian region have recorded negative growth of 15.2 per cent with Pakistan (44.3 per cent) and Sri Lanka (35.3 per cent) registering positive growth. Visitor arrivals from Bangladesh have declined by 5.3 per cent.

European markets registered negative growth of 5.5 per cent with major destinations showing mixed reaction in terms of visitor arrivals. Arrivals from Germany and the Netherlands are up by 8.3 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively while arrivals from UK, France, Italy, Switzerland and Russia have recorded negative growth of six per cent, 13.7 per cent, 31.8 per cent, 8.7 per cent and eight per cent, respectively.

Tourist arrivals from USA, Canada and New Zealand have increased by 11.2 per cent, 42.2 per cent and 44.8 per cent, respectively. However arrivals from Australia have decreased by 5.5 per cent.

The data shows that a total of 48,783 foreign tourists departed from TIA in February, whereas some 58,379 Nepalis arrived and 70,635 Nepalis departed from the only international airport.