Kathmandu - Nepal's tourism industry continued to record
significant growth for the tenth consecutive month propelled by
strong arrivals from Europe and the US, tourism officials said
Friday.
The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said tourist arrivals through
Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu was 18 per cent
higher in October compared to the corresponding period last year.
'A total of 43,468 tourists arrived in Nepal in October, which is
6,617 more than the same period last year,' NTB said. 'The October
figures pushed the total tourist arrival in the Himalayan nation to
295,855 since January 2007.'
Figures released by NTB said October saw strong influx of visitors
from Europe, the United States and Australia.
'Overall, positive growth in arrivals from Denmark, Austria,
Norway, Belgium and Germany with more than 50 per cent growth clearly
shows the revival of Nepalese tourism from these high-yield markets.'
NTB said.
Arrivals from the US and Canada also grew by more than 40 per
cent, the NTB said.
India which is the biggest market for the Nepalese tourism
industry however, recorded negative growth for the second successive
month with the arrival figures showing a drop of 27.4 per cent.
But Nepalese officials said they were hopeful that the arrivals
would pick up with the start of more flights between Kathmandu and
other Asian cities.
'The launching of services by Silk Air of Singapore and Etihad
Airways of the United Arab Emirates in October has given a positive
massage to the world that Nepal is a happening destination,' NTB
said.
NTB said the preliminary data of arrivals only accounted for those
entering the country via air and did not include those arriving
overland from India and Tibet.
Nepal officials said they were expecting 500,000 people to visit
the country in 2007.
The tourism industry is one of Nepal's biggest foreign exchange
earners, bringing in millions of dollars to the impoverished country
and providing employment to hundreds of thousands of people.
However, it suffered considerably during the Maoist insurgency,
which scared off travellers planning to visit Nepal.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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