Tourist arrivals to Nepal via air in the month of July increased by 20 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), a total of 35,212 visited the country in July. With the completion of seven months of 2011, total arrivals have crossed 280,000 which is 40 percent of the Nepal Tourism Year´s (NTY) 2011 target.

Nepal is planning to welcome 700,000 visitors via air and 300,000 visitors through land routes during the year. Figures show arrivals from South Asian region have gained an overall positive growth of 21.7 percent. Number of Indian tourists increased by 24.5 percent, Pakistani by 58 percent, and Sri Lankan by 70.8 percent during this period. However, arrivals from Bangladesh declined by 11.2 percent. Visitor arrivals from Asia, excluding South Asian market, recorded a growth of 56.6 percent. China, another major source market, recorded a phenomenal growth of 127 percent in tourist arrivals in July. Similarly, visitor arrivals from Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea increased by 18.9, 36 and 23.9 percent respectively. However, arrivals from Europe dropped by 5.6 percent during the month compared to July, 2010, due to fall in arrivals from Germany (43.3 percent), the Netherlands (24.1 percent) and Spain (21.1 percent). UK, France, and Belgium recorded positive growth of 7.1 percent, 4.7 percent and 31.4 percent respectively. Arrivals from US and Australia increased by 16.8 percent and 32 percent.