Govt meets its target of bringing in one million tourists in 2023; President calls for promoting tourist sites

Pokhara / Dec 27: The government’s target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023 has been achieved. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said that the number of foreign tourists entering Nepal in 2023 has exceeded one million. All these are foreign visitors who entered by air. For the first time since 2019, the tourism sector, which was affected by the coronavirus infection, has risen to this size.

Maniraj Lamichhane, director of NTB, said that the target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023 has been achieved. “There are still a few days left in December. However, the government’s target was achieved three days ago. This is the highest number of arrivals since 2019,” said Lamichhane, “It has added excitement to the tourism sector.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the arrival of foreign guests was affected until the previous year. Previously, the highest number of foreign guests entered Nepal in 2019. In 2022, this figure was 614,148. In 2021, 150,962 foreign guests entered Nepal. The number of foreign visitors entering Nepal in 2020 was 230,085.

“The tourism sector that was weakened by Covid-19 pandemic has recovered in a short time. If we could do better marketing, the arrival would have increased this year,” said Lamichhane. According to Lamichhane, marketing had slowed down in the last few months. He said that the opportunity to further increase the arrival has been lost due to not being able to market with a physical presence in the international market.

“Had we been able to do marketing easily and in physical presence, we would have added three percent more guests than the target,” he said, “However, after the new fiscal year, there was no marketing in physical presence. Only online marketing was done.” He said that due to the lack of approval of the procedures of the international marketing board, marketing could not be done in physical presence.

He said that if international flights are resumed from the international airports operating in Pokhara and Bhairahawa, the number of arrivals this year will increase even more. “It is not that the tourism sector has not been affected due to some conflicts at the international level, but the target set by the government for this year has been fulfilled,” he said. However, marketing did not happen as expected everywhere. However, the government’s target has also been achieved through online marketing.”

He said that this year the highest number of Indian guests came. According to him, among those who entered Nepal in 2023, the highest share was 30 percent of Indian guests. He also said that although the size of Indian guests entering Nepal is around 20 percent, Indian arrivals have increased significantly this year.

According to him, the number of Indian guests who entered Nepal in 2019 was 254,000, but now it has exceeded 300,000. Similarly, in 2019, the number of American tourists was 93,000, but this year, around 100,000 entered. “The arrival of guests from American, Chinese and other countries has also increased,” he said. Apart from that, the expansion of the air network has also helped the arrival of guests.

President Paudel calls for promoting tourist sites in global market

Meanwhile, in another event, President Ramchandra Paudel has called on the private sector to invest in infrastructures, citing that the role of private sector is vital for infrastructure development.

Nepal’s tourism industry could be further improved and established as a reliable means of income generation and prosperity, according to the President.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Seventh Baglung Festival organised by the Baglung Chamber of Commerce and Industry here Wednesday, the Head of the State said Nepal deserves income generation with leverage of tourism potential, for which, robust infrastructures are imperatives.

He called the authorities concerned to accelerate the Mid-Hill Highway construction, Paudel stressed Baglung which is also called ‘the district of suspensions bridges’ and ‘Buttenali’, an artistically engraved cane, should focus on fostering economic activities.

Paudel took the opportunity to recall time when he spent four months’ imprisonment in the district during the 1990 people’s movement. “I feel, at the moment, that I am at home,” he said.

The President also praised the organisers for hosting the event aiming to develop socio-economic, cultural and touristic lives in Baglung and adjoining areas. “Baglung not only serves as a vibrant place for political awakening, but also a naturally highly decorated region.”

He however showed concern over less number of tourists compared to richness of the district. Further publicity is essential, he suggested showing additional points as agro- products, medicinal herbs.

Also addressing the event were Chairperson of Rastriya Janamorcha, Chitra Bahadur KC, who expressed ire over slowed construction of Kaligandaki corridor and Mid-Hill Highway. He also demanded that the government take action against those delaying the projects. RSS