The tourism industry witnessed an increase of 31.8 percent in tourist arrivals in the first seven months of this year. A total of 167,413 tourists visited the country during the review period, compared to 127,068 tourists in the same period last year. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Culture, Civil Aviation and Tourism, the number of Indian tourists rose by 12.4 per cent during the period to touch 57,407, up from 51,094 last year. The industry posted a robust increase of 44.8 percent in arrivals from countries other than India, as the number increased from 75,974 to 110,006. Country-wise data analysis reveals that arrivals of Chinese tourists surged by 116.7 percent, with the number up from 1,793 to 3,855. The country witnessed an increase in arrivals of tourists from France, Germany, the US, and the UK, as their number increased by 54.2 percent, 29.7 percent, and 30.1 percent respectively during the period. Likewise, the number of Canadian tourists surged by 45.9 percent, with the number totaling 2,425, up from 1,662. Arrivals of Pakistani tourists rose by 64.6 percent to 1,157. The industry posted growth in arrivals of Bangladeshi and Australian tourists, as their numbers increased by the same proportion of 44.8 percent.

Talking to the Post, Tek Bahadur Dangi, Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said that though the number of tourists shot up over the last seven months, it falls far short of satisfactory levels. "As the arrival of Indian tourists declined over the last two months, overall growth is failing to meet our earlier projection," he said. Meanwhile, the industry witnessed a marginal growth of 1.3 percent in tourist arrivals in July over the corresponding month last year. The statistics reveal that a total of 17,587 tourists visited the country by air during the review period, down from 17,622 tourists in the same month last year. The number of Indian tourists that had been on the decline since the previous month continued to fall through the period, decreasing by 16.2 percent. Some 7,186 Indian tourists entered the country in the last month, against 8,578 in the same month the last year. The tourism industry posted an increase of 18 percent in arrivals of tourists from countries other than India, up from 9,044 to 10,671, during the period.

OTHER NEWS

• Govt declares Koshi Tappu buffer zone: The Ministry of Forests on Friday declared an area around Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, a wetland of international significance, as buffer zone, giving fresh impetus to the nearly three-decade-old conservation efforts. This will entitle around 78,000 residents of a 173 sq km area to use between 30 to 50 per cent of the reserve's income for community development activities.
  
  
• Private airlines crank up the competition: Operation of private airlines in the Kathmandu-India sector has significantly stepped up the level of competition between airlines plying the sector. With the entry of Jet Airways, an Indian private airline with connections to over 250 cities in India, into the sector, both the national carriers of these countries - the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) and Indian Airlines (IA) - have been dealt a serious blow. The two state-owned airlines have witnessed a continuous decline in passenger numbers since May, when Jet Airways launched its operation.
  
  
• Landslides block Prithvi Highway: The incessant rain during the last week of July last year resulted in more than 50 landslides in the Mugling - Narayanghat section of the Prithivi Highway, disrupting the movement of vehicles for more than a week. Every year during monsoon, landslides block the only major route linking the capital city with the southern plains of the country, the Terai. In addition to heavy rain, earthquakes trigger landslides.
  
  
• Armed group abduct Everesteer: An armed group claiming to be security men abducted 10-time Everest summiteer Mingma Chhiri Sherpa from his residence in Saraswoti Nagar, Bauddha, Saturday night. According to Sherpa's family members, six people took him away from his residence at about 10:00 pm, saying that he would be returned safe after interrogation regarding "something" in Naxal. However, till Sunday evening, family members were in the dark about his whereabouts. Following the abduction, his brothers had informed the Bouddha and Gaushala police offices. However, the Bouddha Police Office said it was not aware about the matter.
  
  
• Tourism veteran: Jyoti Lal Khanna, 65, is a well known name in tourism and the travel sector. He has been Manager of Yeti Travels (YT) for more than three decades. Khanna's relentless efforts and unparalleled experience in the sector have made YT the largest foreign currency earning travel agency, bringing in US $9 million in 2003. Holder of several coveted tourism posts, he has also been honored with the Sagarmatha Award 1997 and the Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu (Fourth), among others.
  
  
  

By Hari Shrestha, Resident Representative in Kathmandu