Highland Asia

Sustained growth in International tourist arrivals continues

The upward trend which is already seen in January 2011 continues in the fourth month of the year 2011 showing clearly the rising travel demand towards the destination. Nepal has enjoyed a sustained positive growth in the international visitor arrivals since June 2009.

The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveal that visitor arrivals in the month of April 2011, compared to the same month last year, have increased by 34.3% to 51,969.

All regions have shown positive growth in the second month of 2011. In aggregate, the South Asian segment has registered a positive growth of 32.5%. India which constitutes the major market of Nepal, has recorded positive growth of 38.3 %. Also, arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have increased by 4.9%, 4.1% and 83.9% respectively.

Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) have also recorded positive growth of 18.4% in aggregate. The visitor arrivals from China have increased by 42.2%. Similarly, the arrivals from Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea have also increased by 13.1%, 5.6%, 37.3% and 3.7% respectively. However the arrivals from Malaysia have declined by 9.6%.

An overall positive growth of 45.4% has been observed from the European markets with arrivals from major generating markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia up by 56.2%, 30.4%, 47.7%, 7%, 49.5%, 58.6%, 70.5%, 23.8% and 16.5% respectively.

Tourist arrivals from Australia and New Zealand have increased by 47.3% and 46.7% respectively. Also, the arrivals from USA and Canada saw positive growth of 25.7% and 36% respectively.

Between January to April 2011, international tourist arrivals to Nepal have risen by 18.4% to 168,958.