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Tourist arrivals soar up by 18.18%
KATHMANDU, FEB 01 -
Tourist arrivals by air in January 2010
numbered 26,071, a growth of 18.8 percent
compared to the same month last year. The
number of visitors from the southern
neighbour was up 9.9 percent while arrivals
from the northern neighbour decreased by
18.3 percent compared to January 2009.
India accounted for 22.4 percent of the
total tourist arrivals. South Korean
tourists numbered 2,261 recording a 87.2
percent growth compared to January last
year. There were 1,917 visitors from the
U.S. compared to 1,739 in January 2009. They
made up 7.4 percent of the total arrivals.
The number of Chinese tourists dropped to
1,783 from 2,182 in January last year.
Arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka increased by 43.3, 37.3 and 9.9
percent respectively.
Visitor arrivals from Japan and Malaysia
rose by 19.5 percent and 57.2
percent respectively. However, Thailand and
Singapore were down by 25.1 percent and 3.2
percent respectively.
The number of foreign tourist departures
from Tribhuvan International Airport in
January 2010 amounted to 31,672.
The number of Nepali arrivals stood at
57,894 while 65,383 Nepalese departed from
TIA in January 2010.
TIMS (Trekkers Information Management
System) in new provision
The cabinet meeting of Nepal government held
recently has changed some provisions related
to Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS).
The new changes will come into effect from
March 15.
As per the new provision, trekkers are
required to take TIMS Card from Trekking
Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) before starting
their trek. Trekkers traveling in groups can
get the TIMS card upon paying a fee of
Nepali currency equivalent to US $10 each
while those preferring to travel
individually (FITs) need to pay Nepali
currency equivalent to $20.
However, mountaineers with climbing permits
from Tourism Industry Division under
Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and
Nepal Mountaineering Association aren't
required to get the TIMS Card. Similarly,
trekkers with permits from Immigration
Department to controlled areas like Upper
Mustang, Upper Dolpo, Mansulu and others
also are not required to get the TIMS Card.
Likewise, members of diplomatic missions are
not requires to get TIMS Card. |
