Tourists arrivals from India by air to Nepal had recorded a 13.3 per cent increase during 2012 over the previous year.
During 2012, Nepal received 1,64,680 tourists from India by air and the country hopes to register a 17 per cent increase in tourist arrivals from India to the country during 2013, said Rohini Prasad Khanal, Senior Officer, Nepal Tourism Board.
Mr.Khanal, who was in the city recently as part of a Nepalese delegation on a promotion mission to South India, said Nepal was emerging as one of the favourite holiday destinations among Indians given the good air connectivity with about 55 flights a week between Kathmandu and Indian cities such as New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Varanasi. Moreover, Indians do not require visas.
Easy access by road, pleasant weather through out the year, and favourable currency exchange rates were major factors contributing to the popularity of Nepal among Indian tourists.
A large number of Hindu devotees also visit Nepal, especially during Maha Sivarathri. Nepal has been listed in Lonely Planet’s ‘best value destinations,’ for 2013. Nepal has 10 national parks, six conservation areas, three wildlife reserves, and a hunting reserve.
Spectacular views
The country offers a lot for tourist pursuits such as trekking, mountaineering, safaris, rafting, rock climbing, paragliding, hot air ballooning and bungee jumping. With eight of 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in the world, flights from Kathmandu offers spectacular views of the Himalayas, he said and added that tourism packages to fit all kinds of visitors were being offered by different agencies in the country.
