Tourist arrivals via air have increased by 16.2 percent to 43,238 in June 2012 compared to the same month last year.

According to the figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), all regions except Oceania have shown positive growth in the sixth month of 2012.

In aggregate, the South Asian segment has registered a positive growth of 12.2 percent. India which constitutes the major market of Nepal, has recorded healthy growth of 12.7 percent. Also, arrivals from Pakistan have increased by 36.5 percent. However, arrivals from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have declined by 3.7 percent and 14.4 percent respectively.

Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) have also recorded positive growth of 45.8 percent in aggregate. The visitor arrivals from China grew by 61 percent compared to the same month last year. Similarly, the arrivals from Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand have also increased by 26.9 percent, 56.3 percent, 63.6 percent and 67.1 percent respectively.

An overall positive growth of 3.7 percent has been observed from the European markets with arrivals from markets such as the UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Russia up by 17.1 percent, 6.0 percent, 2.5 percent, 11.2 percent, and 4.0 percent respectively. However, the arrivals from the Germany, Spain, and Italy have declined by 16.2 percent, 3.9 percent, and 20 percent respectively compared to the same month last year.

Tourist arrivals from Australia, Canada and USA have increased by 3.7 percent, 73.4 percent and 12.4 percent respectively. However arrivals from New Zealand have decreased by 38.4 percent.

Between January to June 2012, international tourist arrivals to Nepal have risen by 19.8 percent to 294,019 in aggregate.

A total of 51,397 foreign tourists departed from TIA in June 2012. The number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 52,976 while 77,000 Nepalese departed from TIA in June 2012. nepalnews.com