KATHMANDU, Nepal–The government is set to earn foreign currency worth around Rs 45.46 billion from tourism industry in fiscal year 2013/14. According to Economic Survey 2013/14 released recently, the government earned foreign currencies worth Rs 30.43 billion in the first eight months of 2013/14. If tourist spending increases at the same rate, the earning from tourism industry will touch Rs 45.46 billion.
Total tourism earning had stood at Rs 30.7 billion in 2011/12. Total earning increased to Rs 34.21 billion in 2012/13.
Hotels
The number of star hotels in the country has increased to 117 till 2013. Ten new star hotels started operation during the year. Total beds available at start hotels have increased to 9,505. Similarly, number of non-star hotels has increased to 909.
Mountaineering
The government collected Rs 340.8 million as revenue from different mountain peaks in 2013. It is a rise of Rs 100.8 million compared to revenue mobilization in 2012. Mountaineering expeditions employed 2,874 people over the past three years.
Tourist arrival
Tourist arrival, which increased for almost a decade till 2012, declined by 0.7 percent to 797,759 in 2013. Average length of stay during the year was 12.6 days. Average tourist stay during the decade ending 2012 was 12 days. Of the total tourists visiting the country, 54.9 percent were in Nepal for leisure/holiday/traveling/visit purpose, 12.2 percent for trekking and mountaineering, 5.1 percent for pilgrimage, 5 percent for official visits and 3.8 percent for trade purpose.
Arrivals from India accounted for 23 percent of the total visitors in 2013, followed by China (11.2 percent), Sri Lanka (7.5 percent), US (7.3 percent) and UK (4.7 percent).