Tourist arrivals increased during FY 2011/12
Kathmandu: Total tourist arrivals increased to 22.1 percent during fiscal year 2011-12.Along with international promotional programmes and national tourism campaign, Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011, Nepal successfully re-established itself as a tourist destination in the international market, states the Economic Survey Report 2011–12.
According to the report, total tourist arrivals during the year increased by 22.1 per cent as compared to the previous year. The length of stay of tourists on average increased to 13.12 days, which was 12.67 days in 2010.
Nepal, as a tourism destination, was promoted through several international promotional programmes launched during the national campaign. A series of programmes such as advertisement of destination Nepal through CNN and BBC, and meetings and seminars of PATA, IH&RA, UAAA and UIAA in the country created a positive image of Nepal as a tourism destination at the international level.
During NTY 2011, the government had targeted total tourist arrivals of one million and almost met the target with 0.736 million tourists in 2011. Similarly, its target to increase the stay period of tourists to 13 days was also accomplished with the total length of stay of tourists being 13.12 days, which was about 12 days in 2010.
Per tourist, income also increased to Rs 3067.26 and per tourist expenditure increased to Rs 3112.43, states the report. The total contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP in 2010 was Rs 13. 46 billion, while the total GDP increased to Rs 15.58 billion in 2011, the survey states.
According to the report, among the total tourist arrivals, 53.7 per cent was for general visit, 11.7 per cent for trekking and mountaineering, 8.7 per cent for pilgrimage, 4.1 per cent for entertainment, 2.4 per cent for trade, 3.3 per cent for official visit, 1.5 per cent for seminars, 0.3 per cent for rafting, 4.1 per cent for other reasons, and the remaining 9.5 per cent without major plans.
The top five countries contributing to tourist arrivals for Nepal during 2011–2012 were India (20 per cent), China (8.4 per cent), Sri Lanka (8.1 per cent), USA (5.7 per cent), and United Kingdom (five per cent), states the survey.Source – HNS
