Nepali tourism looks promising in 2023. The recuperation found in vacationer appearances in 2022. Launch of Pokhara Territorial Global Air terminal on January 1. And the Chinese government’s declaration of continuing outbound travel of its residents. That conquered the north of two heartbreaking long stretches of the Coronavirus pandemic. And Hopeful Tourism in Nepal has been reviving.
Travel industry executives assert that there is growing optimism that there will be a surge in foreign tourists. This year as the tourism sector gradually recovers from the effects of the pandemic in 2022.
In 2022, tourist arrivals reached the 600,000 mark after two years of negative growth. Recently, major source markets have been contacting tour operators with more inquiries. Additionally, (NTB) and the MCTCA have stated that they are now aiming for one million tourists in 2023.
According to Binayak Shah, the First Vice President of (HAN), are encouraging recent inquiries. Visitors from other countries have given us new hope. Shah stated, “The Chinese government has also announced resuming outbound travel for its citizens. Indian tourists are returning in large numbers.”
Without a significant contribution from China, Nepal’s second-largest source market. tourist arrivals in 2022 exceeded 600,000. Since Nepal, China suspended outbound tourism during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. the majority of flights from China to Nepal have remained suspended.
The Chinese government has now announced that Chinese citizens will be allowed to return to the United States on January 8. When he spoke at the opening of Pokhara Regional International Airport on Sunday. Wang Xin, the Charge de Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, stated. “China will remove restrictions to enter China from January 8 and resume the outbound travel of Chinese citizens in an orderly manner.”
Moreover in the Chinese Tourist Market
China was Nepal’s second largest source market 169,543 Chinese tourists before the pandemic. Related travel restrictions started at the beginning of 2020. Before the pandemic spread worldwide, a total of 1.19 million tourists from other countries visited Nepal in 2019.
According to Nepali tour operators, a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal in 2023. We can welcome at least 100,000 Chinese tourists in 2023 if flights with China become normal. According to Bishwesh Shrestha, owner of C&K Travels, which focuses on Chinese tourists.
Tour operators will also travel there this year to promote tourism. According to NTB, 9,595 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2022.
Shrestha says that it’s still not clear when other Chinese airlines will start flying to Nepal again. While China Southern and Air China are currently operating flights to Kathmandu. China Eastern and Sichuan Air have not yet resumed flights there.
Tour operators say that the fact that many countries still don’t let it. Chinese tourists could bring a lot of Chinese tourists to Nepal because of their reservations. We could welcome more than 100,000 Chinese tourists in 2023 if flights from China return to their pre-Covid levels, according to Shrestha.
On the occasion of its 24th anniversary, the NTB stated that it aims to attract at least one million tourists from abroad in 2023. Travel industry entrepreneurs assert that in order to achieve the one million target. The concerned stakeholders, including government agencies, must act assertively. According to Shah, Nepal will welcome more tourists in 2023, if we communicate this message more effectively.
Carriers for Tourist
Tour operators say that Chinese airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, and other airlines. That brings a lot of foreign tourists to Nepal who haven’t started up fully in Nepal. Tour operators assert that the flow of European tourists will not increase until August or September.
After Sunday’s opening of Pokhara International Airport, there are now three international airports. The Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport. Gautam Buddha International Airport is an international airport that is currently in operation.
While new international airports have not yet been promoted. the Tribhuvan International Airport has been experiencing prolonged traffic congestion. Nepal now has two international airports, but their full utilization is still unknown, according to tourism industry professionals. The Nepal government must promote these two brand-new airports.
Additionally, the government has its own plans to revive tourism. Nepal Tourism Decade 2023-2032 was unveiled at the end of December by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. Nepal intends to attract 3.5 million tourists over the next ten years, excluding India and those traveling by land. In addition, the plan aims to restore tourist numbers to pre-pandemic levels by 2024 and to increase arrivals by 15% each year after that.
Stat of Tourism in Nepal
Nepal’s tourism industry is hopeful because of tourists’ arrival in January, which is considered to be off-season.
55,074 people traveled to Nepal, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.
Since winter is not considered a peak tourist season in Nepal, tourism entrepreneurs are taking this positively. Despite the fact that Chinese citizens are not permitted to travel to Nepal. Business owners claim that this number is favorable.
Maniraj Lamichhane, the board’s director, says the current state of affairs is encouraging.
Americans, Australians, and Bangladeshis are the next most popular tourists to visit Bangladesh.
January tourist arrivals:
Country Number of arrivals
India 16,436
USA 6,561
Australia 3,441
Bangladesh 2,468
According to data, this is the highest number of tourists to arrive in January since the coronavirus pandemic. 81,243 tourists visited Nepal in January 2019, followed by 79,702 in January 2020.
