E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, NOV 12 -

Nepal received 593,542 tourists in the first 10 months (Jan-Oct) of Nepal Tourism Year 2011, up 22.39 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to government statistics, 99,304 international visitors visited Nepal in October alone, which is more than the annual arrivals in the period before 1975. Annual tourist arrivals reached an all-time high of 602,867 in 2010. Arrivals in 2009 came to 509,956.

According to the Department of Immigration, arrivals by air and land amounted to 443,108 and 150,434 respectively in the first 10 months of 2011. Arrivals by air were up 21.7 percent and by land up 24.57 percent.

Even though arrivals have soared, they are still short of the target set for 2011. The country has targeted bringing one million tourists—700,000 by air and the rest overland.

Travel trade entrepreneurs said that the target set for 2011 was unlikely to be met, but the increased tourist movement has shown a positive result for the country’s tourism industry.

Among the seven land entry points (Kodari, Kakkarbhitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Kanchanpur, Dhangadhi and Nepalgunj), Bhairahawa received 98,431 visitors.

Tourist arrivals through Kodari reached 43,649 in the first 10 months of 2011. The overland figure does not include Indian tourists as they are not counted unless they enter Nepal through Kodari.

According to the Department of Immigration, arrivals from India, the major source market, amounted to 131,350, with 121,962 of them entering Nepal by air.

Sri Lanka has become the second largest source market for Nepal with 59,856 arrivals (58,348 by land). China has become the third source market with 56,640 Chinese tourists (34,897 by air) visiting Nepal in the review period.

The US and the UK are the fourth and fifth largest source market respectively. US visitors amounted to 34,461 (31,100 via air) and UK tourists numbered 30,827 (27,761 by air) in the first 10 months.

Arrivals (Jan-Sept)

Month    2010    2011

Jan    33,645    42,599

Feb    49,264    56,339

March    63,058    68,536

April    45,509    59,714

May    32,542    46,184

June    33,263    46,015

July    38,991    42,304

Aug    54,672    71,438

Sept    54,848    61,109

Oct    79,130    99,304

Total    484,922    593,542

Posted on: 2011-11-12 11:04

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