Nepal failed to welcome estimated 2 million tourists due to pandemic

Kathmandu, January 7

The government had declared 2020 as the tourism year with the target of attracting 2 million tourists annually. However, according to the Immigration Department, only 230,085 tourists entered Nepal this year. This year, 183,130 tourists came from Tribhuvan Airport and 46,955 from land routes.

Less than four months after the outbreak of the coronavirus, the campaign year was canceled. By the end of 2020, the tourism sector was so badly affected that this year's total tourist arrivals were the lowest in 34 years. This year has been one of the worst in three and a half decades.

Earlier, in 1986, 223,331 tourists had entered Nepal. The following year saw a steady increase in tourist arrivals.

Even in the year of the recent catastrophic earthquake in Nepal, Nepal was able to welcome 538,000 tourists.

However, the tourism sector has also been hit by the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and its prevention. In 2019, the highest number of tourists in history. A total of 1.197 million tourists visited Nepal that year.

The number of tourists visiting Nepal from January to March is higher than the number of tourists visiting Nepal last year. Lockdown has started in Nepal in March. At the same time, tourist arrivals also stopped.

This has affected the overall tourist arrivals. In March, only a small number of tourists entered. According to the Department of Statistics, only 2,000 tourists have been visiting the area since last month.

This year, 388 tourists came to Nepal through Birgunj, 2021 from Kakadvitta, 43 thousand 272 from Bhairahawa, 621 from Gaddachauki, 94 from Nepalgunj, 34 from Dhangadhi and 525 from Rasuwagadhi.

According to statistics, the highest number of tourist arrivals came from India in 2020. In a period of one year, 40,336 tourists have come to Nepal from India alone. Myanmar is in second place. 20,911 tourists have come from Myanmar.

Thailand is in third place. 20,778 tourists have come from Thailand. China is in fourth place. It has been found that 19,257 tourists have come to Nepal from this country.

This year, China has slipped to fourth place. For many years before this, many tourists used to come to Nepal from China after India. However, the coronavirus infection in China was already visible, and Nepal had also discouraged the arrival of Chinese tourists.

After the opening of the lockdown, the number of Chinese citizens arriving in Nepal has gradually increased. The United States is in fifth place. This year, 17,767 tourists have come from the United States.

Tourists from more than 171 countries have visited Nepal in a year. There are statistics that only one tourist has entered from some of these countries.

According to the department, only one person from Macau, North Korea, Chad, and Turkmenistan came to Nepal in 2020. Only two tourists from Zimbabwe, Tonga, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Papua New Guinea and Angola have come to Nepal.