Consistent healthy growth till November 2011 ( By Air )

The last eleven months have seen consistent healthy growth of international tourist arrivals to Nepal at an average of +21.5%. With 58,156 visitors in the month of November 2011, the total number of visitors between January and November 2011 has reached to 501,264, the ever highest number in tourism history of Nepal.

The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveal the growth of 20.3% in the month of November 2011 compared to the same month last year.

The South Asian region has gained overall positive growth except for arrivals from Bangladesh. The arrivals from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have registered growth of 22.1%, 22.1% and 27.4% respectively. Bangladesh witnessed negative growth of 11.8 % in the month of November 2011.

Similarly, other Asian countries: China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea have maintained the upward trend with 149.4% , 6.2%,9%,16.9% and 11.3% of growth respectively. However, arrivals from Thailand have witnessed negative growth of 26.1%

Except for Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, all the markets of Europe have maintained positive growth. Arrivals from the United States of America , Canada Australia and New Zealand have also increased in November 2011 in comparison to the same month last year.

A total of 81,261 international tourists departed from TIA in November 2011.Departures of international tourists between January and November 2011 totaled 562,205.

The number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 56,547 while 69,194 Nepalese departed from TIA in November 2011.

Mt. Everest Treks Highlighted , Best Stall Awarded

Nepal Tourism Board participated at India International Travel Mart ( IITM) 2011, Pune in India from 26-28 November 2011 highlighting all the Unique Selling Points ( USPs ) and comparative advantages of Nepal as a nearest international holiday destination.

With 150 exhibitors and Nepal being one of them, leisure holidays, honeymoon trips ,pilgrimage tours and trekking trips to The Everest Base Camp were the highlights of the participation while emphasizing pleasant weather , convertibility advantage of Indian Currency and no- visa provision for Indian visitors to Nepal.

NTB officials interacted with media and tour operators and assured them all possible co-operation for partnership in tourism promotion in the interests of mutual benefits. A few media were also invited to visit Nepal for promotional coverage.

While forthcoming Pune Everest Expedition 2012 created positive ripples in media, Nepals stall was highlighted in some media including The Times of India. Meanwhile, Nepal Stall was awarded with the Best Decorated Stall of the exhibition.

Pune and Mumbai , with a large number of growing middle class who can afford to take holidays , and with growing industrial and economic base with high prospects for conference and incentive holidays , has already been identified as a highly potential area for promotional purposes.

The Nepalese trade - Nepal Mandala Travel, Muktinath Yatra, Unique Adventure International and Peak Promotion- are hopeful of business prospects following their participation.

Mumbai, which is 200 kms from Pune, offers good connectivity to Kathmandu directly by Jet Airways and there are other flights operating to Kathmandu via Delhi from Pune. The promotional efforts of NTB in partnership with the trade is paying rich dividend with 42 % growth from India in the last ten months of 2011.

NTY promo through BBC starts

International electronic media has finally started promotion of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) from November 29. The promotion of Nepal has begun from BBC in Australia from today, while the promos will be on air in South Asia from December 5. "Destination Nepal is being promoted with the theme 'Naturally Nepal' and 'Joy of Adventure' along with a logo of Nepal Tourism Year 2011," said director of planning and monitoring at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Kashi Raj Bhandari.

Television promotion of 'Destination Nepal' through CNN will also start from the first week of December. "We have gone negotiated directly with BBC and CNN, however incase of China and India, NTB is soon going to announce tender notice from print media," informed Bhandari.

Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) committee is paying Rs 25 million to BBC and Rs 15 million to CNN. "We have prepared two different promos of 30 second and 15 second length," he said, adding that the committee has also estimated Rs 90 million for advertisement in Chinese and Indian television channels.

The promos in BBC and CNN will be broadcasted till March 2012, but Indian and Chinese television channels will start promo from January 2012.

The government had allocated a total of Rs 380 million for the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 promotion campaign. "Of the Rs 380 million, Rs 130 million has been spent so far," the committee said.

H.E. Ambassador Yang Houlan Attends the Convocation Ceremony of International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Nepal

On November 25, 2011, the 5th Convocation Ceremony of International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Nepal, was held in Yak & Yeti Hotel. H.E. Mr. Yang Houlan, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, and Mr. Dina Nath Sharma, Hon'ble Minister for Education of Nepal, attended the ceremony and exchanged their views on the bilateral cooperation in tourism and other sectors.

Many of the distinguished guests from Nepali side expressed their confidence in the cooperation in tourism sector between Nepal and China. They believed China would become one of the biggest tourist source markets of Nepal. They hope the two sides continue to strengthen the education cooperation in Chinese language, tourism and hotel management, etc. to promote the development of the tourism sector of the two countries.

International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Nepal, has Chinese language classes with Chinese volunteer teachers teaching Chinese. It also has cooperation with Sanya Aviation and Tourism College, China and Holiday Inn Resort Sanya Bay, China.

HAN, China Tourist Hotel Association in pact to promote tourism

Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and China Tourist Hotel Association (CHA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation and tourism promotion in each other country.

The agreement, which is valid for five years, has been signed at a time when the country is observing Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011. During the year, there has been a robust growth in arrivals of Chinese tourists.

President of HAN Prasidha B. Pandey and CHA President HAN Ming signed the agreement in the capital on the final day of the three-day World Congress of International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA) on Wednesday.

HAN president Pandey said the objective of the agreement is to promote tourism and hotel-restaurant industry in the two countries as well as to work together in developing and implementing programs and projects related to tourism and hotel-restaurant industry in Nepal and China.

CHA President Ming expressed commitments to support HAN by organizing training, workshop, seminar and promotional activities for tourism development.

According to MoU, HAN and CHA will provide materials related to tourism promotion, especially related with hotel for distribution to agencies, tour operators, travel agents and individual tourists. "HAN and CHA will work as facilitator for one another on any activities related to tourism promotion," the agreement stated.

More than 200 participants from about 35 countries across the globe participated in IHRA World Congress that took place in Kathmandu from November 28 to 30, 2011. The event featured discussion and seminar on a number of issues including redefining excellence in standards for the hospitality industry, new trends in hospitality, and Nepal tourism investment and realities.

During the discussion, speakers underlined the fact that ongoing crisis in the hospitality industry is because of the government and the public sector. Speakers said the nation is suffering from malfunctioning of the public sector, which is imposing higher taxes and VAT.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, IHRA President Dr. Ghassan Aidi said, "It is now your turn to convince them (international participants) to invest here and prove." He expressed hope that the program was a success in bringing a positive impact to Nepal�s image and more tourists in the coming years.

A postal stamp in commemoration of IHRA World Congress priced Rs 1.75 was launched at the closing ceremony. IHRA is a global business organization, which represents hospitality industry worldwide.

In this Issue :

Consistent healthy growth till November 2011 ( By Air )

Mt. Everest Treks Highlighted , Best Stall Awarded

NTY promo through BBC starts

H.E. Ambassador Yang Houlan Attends the Convocation Ceremony of International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Nepal

HAN, China Tourist Hotel Association in pact to promote tourism

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