New + Village Tourism day to be celebrated 30.7.08
: Chinese teams to clean Mt. Everest in 2009
: Dolpa Festival from September 8, 2008
: Tibet Reopens for Tourism
: Nepal celebrated International Music Day 2008 ....June 22.08
: Shuttle Bus Service for tourist in Nepal
: Nepal Promotion Program in South Korea .... 5.6.08
: Asian Mountain Bike championship in November 2008
Nepal Promotion Program in South Korea .... 5.6.08
Nepal Tourism Board participated in Korean Travel Fair, KOTFA 2008 from 5th-8th June 2008 in Seoul, Korea. The historical, social, cultural ties and Buddhism, a common religious bond between the two countries has remained very strong for years. Taking this fact in account Nepal was highlighted as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites and other cultural attractions of Nepal. Likewise, being also a pioneer country in adventure activities, Nepal has focused Mt. Everest as an icon for mountaineers and other soft adventure attractions like trekking, hiking, rafting, jungle safari, paragliding, etc. too. During the fair, NTB has showcased the various other tourism attractions and activities of Nepal. Nepal Tourism Board had also organized a grand cultural show during the fair at the main stage of the exhibition hall. The show highlighting the Nepalese cultural attractions had gathered a huge number of audience.
The positive trend in international visitors' arrival figure to Nepal continued on a robust growth of 11 % in the main season of January-April 2008. Among the South Korean visitors, the number is increased by 8% in this period. The total number of Korean traveler visiting Nepal by air in 2006 was 7002 and in 2007 it was 12,513 adding the increment of 78 % . The Korean arrival during the first five-month of 2008 is 6,537. The direct connection between Seoul and Kathmandu by Korean air has facilitated the Korean travelers to come to Nepal. Currently, Korean Air is flying once in a week on Seoul-KTM-Seoul sector. More+++
++Appa tops Everest record 18th time - 18.5.08
......Appa Sherpa, smashing his own world record, climbed Mt Everest for the 18th time Thursday, when 76 more climbers made it atop the highest peak on the planet. This is a single day record for the Nepali side.
Appa, along with his team member, scaled the 8,848 meter mountain early Thursday morning, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association. However, the Tourism Ministry is yet to confirm this. A veteran guide, he is part of the Eco-Everest Expedition, which aims at highlighting the impact of glacial melt and global warming in the Himalayas. Five Nepali women were also among today's climbers, the largest number of Nepali women to climb Everest at one time. Poojan Acharya, who scaled the peak with the First Inclusive Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 became the first Brahmin female to climb Everest. The other four women include Susmita Maskey, Maya Gurung and Nwang Phuti Sherpa. They were accompanied on the ascent by five altitude workers. Ramesh KC, an official at the Tourism Ministry said the ascent by 74 climbers-- 45 Nepali and 29 foreigners-- has been confirmed. Another official at the Ministry said three more including Appa reached the top today.
Appa, 48, first scaled Everest on May 10, 1990 as a high altitude worker for the Kiwi-Everest Expedition. Since then, he has reached that summit every year except in 1996 and 2001. He ascended Everest two times each in 1992 and 1997. After completing his 12th Everest ascent, Appa announced his retirement in 2002, citing family reasons.But he abandoned his retirement plans and returned to mountaineering the next year. In 2006, Apa moved with his family to Utah, USA to ensure good education for his children. Mt Everest has been ascended over 3,000 times since 1953 when Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary made it to the summit for the first time.
++Everest opens for climbing : 9.5.08
With the Chinese mountaineering team successfully taking the Olympic torch to Mt Everest, the government has also removed the ban on mountaineering expeditions to the tallest peak in the world effective from Thursday. Climbing Everest beyond Camp II was banned following a cabinet decision April 2 on the request of Chinese government to ensure safe passage for the torch.
On Thursday, Chinese climbers carrying the Olympic flame reached the summit. China's state television live-cast the historic moment. Tibetan female climber Cering Wangmo reached the top of the world's tallest mountain bearing a special extreme-altitude torch, triggering celebrations in China.
Celebrations were marked atop Everest and in Beijing for the success. The team halted 4m below the summit to light the torch with five climbers then relaying it the final meters to the top. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin has lauded the role of the government of Nepal in helping bring the Olympics torch to the summit of Mt Everest.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Koirala Thursday, Ambassador Zheng expressed thanks to Koirala and his government for the "great support" and "assistance" for this. He also praised the role of Nepal Army and concerned authorities in making detailed arrangements and doing enormous work. In a statement, the Chinese embassy said that in the meeting, Koirala requested the Chinese ambassador to forward a congratulatory letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao
Tourist arrival update for April 2008
April Records a marginal decrease of 1% to last year. Why so ?? This is becuase of decrease of tourist from Asian countries as well some major Europian countries. April 2008 tourist arrival figure released by Immigration Office, TIA indicate shows marginal decrease of 1% as compared to same month last year. However European Sector remains unchanged with almost the same figure as compared to the April 2007. France grew up by 21%, Austria with 20%, Netherland & Israel with 28%, Switzerland with 66%, Spain with 25%, but UK, Sweden & Germany decreased by 20%, 31%, & 20% respectively.
There are some significant growths recorded; Australia & New Zealand arrivals show a growth of 51%. Closely following the trend are Canada & USA with the growth of 25%. The arrival figure shows a decrease of 18% for the Asian countries. SAARC countries arrival is decreased by 14% where India has the share of 19% decrement. Bangladesh on the other hand shows an extraordinary growth of 60% which may be the positive impact of the recent Bangladesh Sales Mission program held vigorously. Taking the data into consideration, the main reason for the decrease in arrival might be the prediction of uncertainty in the minds of travelers due to our Constitutional Assembly (CA) Polls.Analyzing the total number of arrivals in the first four months of this year, it shows 1,28,802 visitors to Nepal with an increment 11.15% than the total arrival of the same period of last year. |
March 2008 Visitors Arrival update
March, 2008 tourist arrival reached 40032 up by 17.3 percent compared to the same month last year via aircraft. This is stated in the figure released by Immigration Office, TIA. The arrival figures from all market segments are very encouraging except some Asian ones. Indian market, which has suffered a negative growth since last few months, has witnessed a growth of 9 %. Similarly Bangladesh (47 %) has also recorded a robust growth.
European market as a whole has registered a very optimistic figure with whopping growths from some individual markets. The arrival growths from Denmark (178 %), Norway (83 %), Spain (64 %), Sweden (134 %) and Austria (55 %) are very noteworthy. Moreover, the UK and USA markets reflect a very promising sign of growing consumer confidence on Nepal as the UK market grew by 27 % with considerable share (10 %) and the USA rose by 42 % with 8 % contribution in the total arrivals.
Most of the major tourist generating markets of Nepal shows a very encouraging picture this month despite a negative growth of Japanese market. The arrivals from France and Germany grew by 34 % and 8 % respectively.
However, some emerging markets suffered this month compared to the same month last year. Malaysia, Thailand and Israel are the markets with negative growth this month.
The total arrivals in the first three months grew by 16 % to 96137. The UK and USA markets are very much encouraging in terms of their share in the total arrivals and additional number of visitors in the last three months over the same period last year. |
