Arrivals up, stay duration down

Tourist arrivals in Nepal increased by 1.9 percent in 2009, however, their average length of stay has declined.

According to the Economic Survey 2009/10, the average length of stay has gone down from 11.8 days in 2008 to 11.6 days in 2009.

Tourists had started staying longer in the country in 2006 following the comprehensive peace accord ending the Maoist conflict. Since then, however, it has been decreasing constantly.

Tourism entrepreneurs say that tourist stay in Nepal has been affected by political uncertainty, strikes and bandas. Hotels too suffered labour unrest in 2009 forcing visitors to cut short their Nepal tour.

''One of the reasons behind the drop in tourist stay could be the global recession which prompted vacationers to opt for shorter holidays,'' said Raju Bikram Shah, general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel.

''We didn''t see a drastic change in tourist stay,'' said David Yonjan of Yeti Travels. "The length of stay depends on the tour package.''

Tourist entrepreneurs are hopeful of the length of stay increasing with the number of tourists coming for recreation growing. As per the Economic Survey, 34 percent of the arrivals in 2009 came for recreation compared to 29.6 percent in 2008. Tourism entrepreneurs say that if the political situation remains stable, the trend of taking longer holidays could increase.

''The significant rise in the number of visitors coming for recreation is a result of the increasing options for leisure activities in Nepal,'' said Prachanda Man Shrestha, chief executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board. According to the Economic Survey, there has been a marginal increment in the number of visitors coming for pilgrimage from 9 percent in 2008 to 10.4 percent in 2009. Tourists putting down trekking and mountaineering as their purpose of visit amounted to 20.9 percent in 2009.

Likewise, 4.7 percent came for trade, 7.6 percent for formal visit and 1.4 percent for meetings and seminars.

Declining stay

Year 2009 2008 2007

Days 11.60 11.78 11.96

Purpose of visit

Year 2009 2008 2007

Recreation 34.0 29.6 30.6

Trek/Mountaineering 20.9 21.0 19.20

Pilgrimage 10.4 9.0 10.0

Trade 4.7 4.6 4.6

Formal visit 7.6 8.6 8.6

Meeting/seminar 1.4 1.4 1.4

Other purposes 15.6 19.9 19.5

Undefined purposes 5.0 5.9 6.3

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