More Tourists for Nepal

Nepal is poised to become the newest destination for tourists in Asia as reported by the latest statistics from the Nepal Tourism Board, along with supporting details from the World Bank.

According to the World Bank South Asia Economic Update 2010, most of those who travel to Nepal come from the East Asian region, making up over 25 percent of the total tourist arrivals in the Republic.

The Nepal Tourism Board have also reported that the number of tourists coming in from China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand has been steadily growing in the past few years. There has been a drastic increase in the number of visitors from China as compared to last year, with tourist arrivals growing at the rate of almost 200 percent.

The growth in tourist traffic has caught the attention of stakeholders who are seeking key business interests in the region. The number of flights to the country has also increased, with China Eastern Airlines as the newest carrier to offer Nepal flights.

Most analysts assert that tourism growth from the East Asian region is largely due to rising income levels, more airline options, and the renown of Nepal as the sacred birthplace of the Buddha.

To usher in Nepal Tourism Year 2011, the Republic remains optimistic, looking forward to around 100,000 tourists from China along with an expected 20 percent growth in tourist traffic from neighbouring Asian countries.