Arrivals reach all-time high

The highest arrival record of 1999 was broken on December 9

SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 11 -

Tourist arrivals have bounced back in 2010 breaking all past records. Arrivals by air in the second week of December 2010 have surpassed the ever-highest number of 421, 243 recorded in 1999.

The country received 421,902 tourists in 2010 until Dec. 9, according to the tourist arrival statistics provided by Tribhuvan International Airport, Immigration Office. The highest arrivals record made in 1999 was exceeded on Dec. 9.

The second week of December saw about 1, 000 tourist arrivals daily. Travel trade entrepreneurs said that if the tourist inflow continues at the current rate, Nepal might well receive over 450,000 air tourists in 2010. However, they said tourist arrivals would drop in the third week of December due to Christmas. In the first 11 months, the country received 412,446 visitors. The figure was 378,712 in the same period last year. The country had witnessed record arrivals of 491,504 tourists (land and air) in 1999 on the back of the Visit Nepal Year 1998 promotional campaign. It was a steady slide thereafter.

Tourism entrepreneurs said three factors—increased air capacity, confidence build-up in tourist generating markets and the political commitment and investors encouraging investment in travel trade sector—boosted arrivals. “Looking at the recent arrivals trend, we can estimate that there will be over 600,000 tourists by both surface and air at the end of 2010,” said Prachanda Man Shrestha, chief executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board.

The country has targeted attracting a million tourists in 2011. Of the total target, 700,000 have been estimated to arrive by air and the remaining by surface transportation.

Shrestha said that things were going in a positive direction. Prevailing peace has boosted the tour and travel operators’ confidence in the international market, as a result, they had been referring visitors for Nepal. Likewise, over two dozen international airlines connectivity has also made the things happen. However, the only setback in the tourism sector here is the ongoing issue of the national flag carrier. “Due to hitches in Nepal

Airlines’ fleet expansion, it has become hard to make attractive tour

packages and also reduce the airfare rendering competition with international carriers.”

Soaring tourist arrivals have brought smiles to the faces of travel entrepreneurs and hotel operators. “Things are looking very promising,” said Abinav Rana, general manager of the Radisson Hotel.

According to Rana, room occupancy of the hotels has bounced back. He said hotel occupancy in the last three month was encouraging. Hoteliers said that the last three-month period saw all the star properties being booked.

“Increased arrivals had a positive impact on hotels and the arrivals were result oriented this year,” he added. Prevailing peace in the country after many years and the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 hype has spurred visitor arrivals, Rana added. After some decades, the hospitality sector has revived with investors injecting massive investments in hotels.

The existing hotels have begun refurnishing their rooms and upgrading their services. All sorts of businesses, from handicraft, restaurants and hotels to trekking have experienced a significant growth this year. “Business of all the tourism sectors has increased,” said Arjun Prasad Sharma, president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA).

He, however, said that the only hindrance in the tourism sector would be Nepal Airlines’ weak performance and connectivity. There are two dozen international airlines connecting Nepal, which is encouraging.

However, visitors arriving here have the issue of high travel cost. The government should think of expanding the fleet of Nepal Airlines in order to discourage monopoly by international airlines, Sharma said. Entrepreneurs said that if NAC had not been mired in controversy, things would have been even better.


Visitor Arrivals by Air

Year Tourists

1998 398,008

1999 421,243

2000 376,914

2001 299,514

2002 218,660

2003 275,438

2004 297,335

2005 277,346

2006 283,819

2007 360,713

2008 374,661

2009 378,712

2010-Dec. 9 421, 902