The year 2010 has ended with positive notes both in terms of total visitor arrivals for the month of December and also for the whole year. The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveal that visitor arrivals in the month of December 2010, compared to the same month last year, have increased by 15.7% to 36,323. Also, the total number of visitor arrivals in aggregate (Jan-Dec, 2010), compared to same period in 2009, have increased by 18.5% to all time high figure of 448,769.

In the SAARC region, all markets have posted positive results. In aggregate the South Asian segment has registered a robust growth of 26.1% in the month of December and 24.7% in the year 2010 (Jan-Dec). Visitor arrivals from India (19.5%), Bangladesh (42.4%), Pakistan (94.3%) and Sri Lanka (148.3%) have registered positive growth in December 2010. In aggregate the South Asia has registered a positive growth of 26.1% for the month of December and 24.7% between January to December.

In December 2010, there has been a robust growth of 24.4% in visitor arrivals from China. Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) have recorded positive growth. Visitor arrivals from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea have registered a positive growth of 41%, 26.4%, 4.4%, and 22.3% respectively. However Japan has suffered a soft decline by 0.4%.  In aggregate the Asian segment (other than South Asia) has registered a positive growth of 14.3% in the month of December and 17.7% in the year 2010.

Regarding the European markets, there has been a soft decline of 0.2% in the month of December 2010. However, the year saw a positive growth of 14.4% in aggregate (Jan-Dec) from the European market in 2010. In December 2010, the arrivals from the Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden and UK were up by 57.3%, 37.0%,26.0%, 17.4%, 75.0%,43.9%, 2.1%, 30.5% and 1.0% respectively whereas Belgium, France, Germany and  Italy declined by 20.1%, 8.7%,13.4%, 0.2% respectively.

Tourist arrivals from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA have also registered positive growth of 8.5%, 57.9%, 1.2% and 14.4% respectively in December 2010.

On the whole, the year showed sustained growth in visitor arrivals and reaches new heights in 2010.

A total of 44,019 foreign tourists departed from TIA in December 2010. The number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 57,661 while 77,230 Nepalese departed from TIA in December 2010.