Nepal's trekking industry looks east as Western tourists are disrupted by the Iran conflict.
Western arrivals have decreased as a result of flight disruptions through Gulf hubs, leading tourism operators to pursue travelers from Asia-Pacific markets. As conflict-related travel disruptions spread throughout the Middle East, Nepal's tourism industry is scrambling to offset a sharp decline in Western visitors during the peak spring trekking season. Operators and government officials are focusing on Asia-Pacific markets.
According to official figures, arrivals from Europe and the
Americas, which make up a sizable portion of Nepal's more expensive long-haul
tourism industry, decreased by nearly 25% and 19%, respectively, in March
compared to the same time last year. Despite this, the escalation of the Iran
conflict last month resulted in a 1% decrease in total visitor numbers, which
was aided by increased demand from Asian markets.
BINOD KUMAR SIMKHADA
Comments
Post a Comment