POKHARA, Sept 4: Tourism is the most affected sector by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, foreign tourists could not come to Nepal for almost two years. During the two-year period, the arrival of foreign guests remained zero in some months. However, in 2022, the arrival of foreigners started to improve. In the period of eight months (January-August) this year, a total of 326,667 foreign tourists have entered Nepal.
POKHARA, Sept 4: Tourism is the most affected sector by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, foreign tourists could not come to Nepal for almost two years. During the two-year period, the arrival of foreign guests remained zero in some months. However, in 2022, the arrival of foreigners started to improve. In the period of eight months (January-August) this year, a total of 326,667 foreign tourists have entered Nepal.
According to Maniraj Lamichhane, director of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), all these foreign tourists came by air. Apart from that, there is no significant data of foreigners entering by land route. During this period, a large part of the Indian visitors entered Nepal by land, but their data is not maintained anywhere. However, the tourism market, which had fallen to zero, has received a lot of visitors in eight months.
Tourism entrepreneurs said that this arrival is more than expected. According to NTB, there has been an improvement in tourism arrivals since the beginning of this year. Lamichhane said that even after eight months that improvement is gaining momentum.
“Signs of improvement in tourism were seen from the beginning of this year. That momentum is still ongoing. Sometimes the arrival ratio keeps going down,” Lamichhane said, “More foreign tourists than expected have entered in a short time. Now that the tourist season has started, it is expected that the number of arrivals will increase further in the coming months.”
According to the data of NTB, 16,975 foreign guests entered Nepal in January. That number rose to 19,766 in February. Tourist arrival in March was 42,006 and in April it was 61,589. The number of arrivals in May was 53,608, while in June 46,957 foreigners entered Nepal.
A total of 44,462 people entered Nepal in July, 41,304 foreigners entered Nepal in August. Before the COVID-19 infection started, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Nepal in the month of August was 73,814. Lamichhane said there was a 56 percent improvement in arrivals this August compared to August, 2019.
The arrival of this month in 2020 was 256 and 5,917 in 2021. Lamichhane said that foreigners coming to Nepal are also affected by international events. He said that the growth rate of the improvement till the previous month was around 70 to 75 percent when the COVID-19 infection decreased, but the improvement rate was slightly reduced in the month of August.
The rate of improvement in the last month was around 70 percent. But in the month of August, it dropped to 56 percent. "Some international developments may have affected it," he said, adding, "International war may also be a factor."
He said that even though this month's growth rate is a bit weak, there is no need to panic now. We have received a good response for the upcoming season. The season has started. The arrival of foreigners will definitely improve in the coming months, he said. September to November is considered to be the main season in the tourism sector in Nepal.
Tourism entrepreneurs say that despite the increase in tourist arrivals after COVID-19, not all tourism sectors are able to benefit due to inadequate infrastructure. “The recovery after COVID-19 is good. The arrival so far also shows a positive sign," said Sushil Raj Poudel, president of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), Gandaki Chapter, an umbrella organization of trekkers. "If there is sufficient infrastructure and ease of access, tourists will come. Now, Pokhara is lagging behind in accessibility.”
He said that Pokhara could not get support due to the problem of access. "Pokhara itself is a popular destination, so tourists came. However, now most of the infrastructures are weak," he said.
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