The upward trend of tourist arrivals via air has witnessed sustainable growth even in the fourth month the year 2011.

The arrival of international visitors via air increased by 34.3 percent to 51,969 in April 2011 compared to the same period last year.

According to the figure released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), all regions showed positive growth in the second month of 2011.

In aggregate, the South Asian segment registered a positive growth of 32.5 percent. India which constitutes the major market of Nepal, recorded positive growth of 38.3 percent. Also, arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have increased by 4.9 percent, 4.1 percent and 83.9 percent respectively.

Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) also recorded positive growth of 18.4 percent in aggregate.

The visitor arrivals from China have increased by 42.2 percent. Similarly, the arrivals from Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea have also increased by 13.1 percent, 5.6 percent, 37.3 percent and 3.7 percent respectively. However the arrivals from Malaysia have declined by 9.6 percent.

An overall positive growth of 45.4 percent was observed from the European markets with arrivals from major generating markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia up by 56.2 percent, 30.4 percent, 47.7 percent, 7 percent, 49.5 percent, 58.6 percent, 70.5 percent, 23.8 percent and 16.5 percent respectively.

Tourist arrivals from Australia and New Zealand also increased by 47.3 percent and 46.7 percent respectively. Also, the arrivals from USA and Canada saw positive growth of 25.7 percent and 36 percent respectively.

Between January to April 2011, international tourist arrivals to Nepal rose by 18.4 percent to 168,958.

Nepal has enjoyed a sustained positive growth in the international visitor arrivals since June 2009.

A total of 55,630 foreign tourists departed from TIA in April 2011 while the number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 56,069 and 67,251 Nepalese departed from TIA in April 2011. nepalnews.com