E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, JUL 09 -

Thanks to Nepal Tourism Year 2011, the average length of stay of tourists in Nepal has increased to a six-year high of 12.67 days in 2010-11.

Travel trade analysts attribute this growth to a shift in the purpose of visit from traditional cultural tours to adventure and pilgrimage. “A tourist spends a minimum of 10 days for adventure activities compared to other types of activities, said Aditya Baral, spokesperson of the Nepal Tourism Board. “More tourists going outside Kathmandu also increased the length of stay.”

The increment in tourist stay has also resulted in a rise in their daily spending. The survey shows that daily spending has increased to US$ 46.73 this year from US$ 36.88 last year. The Economic Survey shows that tourists coming for pilgrimage has increased significantly in the current fiscal year. As per the survey, the number of visitors putting down pilgrimage as purpose of visit saw a significant rise of 16.81 percent compared to 10.4 percent in the last fiscal year. Hoteliers admitted that hotels were filled to capacity during the main season for pilgrims, June-August.

“We had full occupancy of pilgrims in June-August last year,” said Raju Bikram Shah, senior general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel and Resort. According to him, travel agencies diversifying their destination packages has also led to a rise in the length of stay.

The survey shows that visitors for trekking and mountaineering, the major tourism products, slowed down this fiscal year. The number of trekkers and mountaineers dropped to 11.65 percent from 20.9 percent in the last fiscal year.

Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) president Sitaram Sapkota attributed this decline to fewer adventure tourists coming from Europe and America. “While Chinese and Indians come here for recreation and other leisure activities, Europeans and Americans are the true adventure lovers,” said Sapkota. “Hefty airlines fares to Nepal from European and American destinations and increased cost of adventure tourism in Nepal reduced the number of trekkers.” 

Even though the tourist arrivals grew 18.21 percent, income from tourism has declined compared to the last fiscal year. The survey says tourism income increased by only 0.1 percent in 2010-11 while it was 0.6 percent in 2009-10.

NTY 2011 has resulted in more hotels in the country. A total of 45 tourist hotels and 1549 beds were added in 2010-11.

The year saw significant progress in tourism infrastructure. A separate helicopter parking lot was constructed at TIA while blacktopping at Simikot airport and Tumlingtar airport is being carried out. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is doing upgradation that includes blacktopping, apron building construction and fencing of various airports. A new terminal building, control tower and office building at Dhangadhi airport were constructed this year.

Posted on: 2011-07-09 09:25

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