The Nepal Tourism Board has initiated a study to obtain accurate data on the average expenditure of foreign tourists visiting Nepal. The board has commenced a survey from today with the objective of determining the average spending rate of foreign tourists. Maniraj Lamichhane, the director of the board, informed the RAS that the study has been initiated to obtain precise statistics on how much foreign tourists spend while visiting Nepal.
According to him, the board aims to collect 2,000 samples and complete the survey within 40 days. Five employees designated by the board will be responsible for filling out 10 question forms every day, and students of Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Institute (NATHAM) are involved in this study, coordinating with the board.
Director Lamichhane emphasized that the study would help obtain accurate data on how much foreign tourists spend in Nepal. He revealed that, in 2021, foreign tourists spent an average of 48 US dollars per day, which has remained the same in 2022. However, he predicted that this rate would increase to 70 to 75 dollars in 2023.
The study, which has been initiated today, is the primary tool of the ‘Tourism Satellite Account’. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Statistics Office, and NATHAM are collaborating on this study on tourist expenditure.
In recent days, the number of foreign tourists entering Nepal has increased. According to the board’s statistics, 55,074 foreign tourists entered Nepal in January 2023, while in the previous year, only 614,148 foreign tourists had entered Nepal.
In 2019, before the covid-19 epidemic, there were 11,970,091 foreign tourists. However, in 2020, the number of foreign tourists decreased by 81 percent due to the corona epidemic, with only 230,085 people visiting Nepal. In 2021, 150,962 tourists came to Nepal.
