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Tourist arrivals hit four-year high in March

Tourist arrivals hit four-year high in March
Continuing the upward momentum in 2023, the tourist arrivals in March have hit a four-year high signaling that tourism in Nepal has largely recovered from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest statistics of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) show tourist footfalls in March 2023 stood at 99,426, the highest since March 2019. According to NTB, Nepal welcomed 42,006 tourists in March 2022, 14,977 tourists in March 2021, and 42,776 tourists in March 2020. According to NTB statistics, 227,755 tourists visited Nepal in the first three months of 2023. Tourist arrivals have surged by 35 percent in March compared to February. Nepal welcomed 55,074 international visitors in January, 73,255 in February, and 99,426 in March.

While the number of Chinese visitors is gradually improving, Nepal received the highest number of tourists from India and the US in March. According to NTB, 25,911 Indian tourists and 9,557 US visitors came to Nepal in March. The country welcomed 6,133 tourists from the United Kingdom, 4,149 from Germany, and 3,898 from Sri Lanka.

While there has been a huge improvement in tourist arrivals this year, it is yet to touch the pre-Covid era. Nepal received 311,047 tourists in the first three months of 2019. The arrival of foreigners in the first three months of 2023 is 73.22 percent compared to the same period in 2019. With the easing of travel restrictions and China reponing outbound travel for its citizens, Nepali tourism entrepreneurs are pinning high hopes for 2023. NTB on its 24th anniversary announced that it aims to attract at least one million foreign tourists in 2023. In 2022, tourist arrivals reached over 600,000 without any significant contribution from China. Only 9,595 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2022. Tour operators say they are receiving increasing inquiries from major source markets including China of late. While the FITs (free independent travelers) have already started coming to Nepal, group travelers from the northern neighbor are yet to come here. With Nepal finally included in the list of the countries where Chinese travel agencies and online travel companies are allowed to resume, on a pilot basis, outbound group tours for Chinese citizens, travel trade entrepreneurs are expecting a surge of visitors from the northern neighbor. Travel trade entrepreneurs say that a significant contribution of Chinese tourists would be required if Nepal wants to meet the target of one million in 2023. The tour operators expect Nepal to be included in the next list of China's destination countries hopefully as early as possible. China was the second largest source market for Nepal after India before the Covid-19 pandemic.  

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