The monthly tourist arrivals by air posted a record in October. According to Immigration Office, Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), visitor arrivals in October touched a record 73,264 — an increment by 16.8 per cent compared to the same month last year — for the first time in the tourism history of Nepal.

However, the total arrivals this year — from January to October in 10 months — touched 443,108, making it impossible to meet the NTY 2011 target of hosting 700,000 by air, though the first 10 months arrivals recorded 21.7 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2010. Announcing NTY 2011, the government had targeted a total of one million tourists including by air and land.

“The arrivals from SAARC region have shown positive growth of 19.4 per cent with India (up by 26.2 per cent) and Pakistan (up by 11.3 per cent) but arrivals from Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka declined by 10.2 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, the data revealed, however, adding that a sustained growth of 33.7 per cent has been observed in the arrivals from the SAARC region during the first ten months of 2011 compared to the same period last year.

Similarly, Asia — except South Asian region — saw overall increase of 40 per cent in October. Except for Malaysia (down by one per cent), almost all the markets recorded positive growth with China (up by 105.9 per cent),Japan ( up by 7.3 per cent) Singapore (up by 5.7 per cent), South Korea (up by 29.4 per cent) and Thailand (up by 23.6 per cent) compared to the same month a year ago.

In the long haul markets, Europe registered overall positive growth of 15.1 per cent compared to the same month last year with total visitor arrivals of 34,166, highest of all on month-by month basis this year, though travel trade entrepreneurs were worried of the fall in European visitors in the beginning of the year. Arrivals from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and UK were up, while, France and Netherlands posted negative growth by 3.9 per cent and 17.1 per cent, respectively compared to same month last year.

Likewise, Canada also recorded negative growth of 0.2 per cent whereas arrivals from the US were up by 5.4 per cent followed by Oceania with Australia and New Zealand.

A total of 69,115 foreign tourists departed whereas 52,952 Nepalese departed from TIA in October but TIA recorded some 70,531 Nepalese arrivals.

Country-wise increment

India up by 42.4 per cent

China up by 66.7 per cent

USA up by 14.3 per cent

Germany up by 11.2 per cent

UK up by 6.6 per cent

France up by 3.8 per cent

(First ten months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010)

Source: THT