Kathmandu: Tourist arrivals maintained a robust growth in April, too, recording a whopping growth of 78.8 per cent. Quoting the Immigration Office at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has stated that the inflow of tourists by air in April surged to 33,024. Arrivals in April 2006 had stood at 18,465.

According to the NTB, this is the highest arrivals in April since 2002.

Nepal's biggest volume market, India, registered a growth of 110 per cent, while arrivals from third countries grew on average by 70 per cent.

A total of 8078 Indians tourists visited Nepal last month; the figure for the corresponding month last year was 3849. Indians accounted for 24 per cent of the total tourist arrivals in April.

Another major market, Europe, also recorded a significant growth. European tourist arrivals increased by 48 per cent to reach 11038 last month.

Arrivals from the US increased by a whopping 92 per cent to reach 1986.

In aggregate, tourist arrivals in the first fourth months of 2007 increased by 42 per cent. A total of 115,881 foreign tourists visited Nepal during the period.

2007-05-03: Archaelogists and other concerned experts have pointed out the need to step up immediate measures for the protection of the archaelogically important objects found in many caves of the Upper Mustang.

In course of its research study, a nine-member team of Nepali and foreign experts had recently observed the numerous human-excavated caves and overhanging complexes of the Upper Mustang.

Located in the upper watershed of the Kali Gandaki River and north of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Ranges, the nearly uncountable, lost troglodytic civilizations revealed exquisite wall paintings never before photographed, nor viewed in modern times.

The team also showed three or more periods of human use, as identified by occupation layers that are separated, in some cases, by long periods of abandonment. While exploring such treasurers, the team used advanced mountaineering and repelling techniques.

"Some of the objects traced in the caves are more than 3,000 years old," said archaeologist Shukra Sagar Shrestha, who was one of the members of the team.
The research trip was recently organised by the Sherpa Shangrila Treks & Expedition (P) Ltd, in collaboration with The North Face and Skydoor Productions.

At a press conference organised in Kathmandu, the team showed astonishing video clips and slides of the lost cave civilizations, the remarkable discoveries found inside, and the hair-raising process of getting there. They briefly discussed the urgency of, and issues surrounding, these cave sites, and announced plans for further research and documentation of the art and archaeological features of these national treasurers.

Other findings of the research were decorative wall motifs seen nowhere else in Asia, different types of Tibetan scripts executed in ink, silver and gold, pre-Christian era pottery shreds and likely burial caves and promising archaeological mounds.

Talking to journalists, Kosh Prasad Acharya, Director General at the Department of Archaeology, sought necessary support and cooperation from the concerned sectors for the protection of such objects.

Jiban Ghimire, managing director of the Sherpa Shangrila Treks & Expedition (P) Ltd., said that his company would take the initiative to carry out research on the archaeologically important objects in the Upper Mustang caves in future as well.

The group of scholars, adventurers and filmmakers participating in the research team included archaeologists Prakash Darnal and Shukra Sagar Shrestha, veteran author Broughton Coburn, award winning filmmaker Liesl, seven-time Everest summiteer and North Face athlete Peter Athans, premier big wall climber and North Face athlete Renan Ozturk, high definition filmmaker Karl Swingle, Mustang art conservator Luigi Fieni, assistant art scholar Ian Alsop and Mustang royal family member Tsewang Bista.

Kathmandu, May 5: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) took part in fourth Aktel Dhaka Travel Mart 07 — held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 26-28 April — to promote Nepal as an attractive tourist destination.

Organised by ‘The Bangladesh Monitor’, a premier travel trade publication with leading cell phone operator Aktel, 42 organisations from various countries like China, Nepal, Thailand, Qatar, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Malaysia including airlines, travel agents, tour operators, national tourism boards participated in the travel mart.

An estimated 15,000 visitors (both trade and general) visited Nepal stall, where most of them showed interest in gathering various information on what Nepal has to offer for Bangladeshi visitors, states a NTB press release.
In conjunction with the Dhaka Travel Mart, NTB also organised road shows at Hotel Sarina in Dhaka, Fried Pepper Restaurant in Chittagaon and Rainbow Guest House in Sylhet on April 29 and 30th and May 2 respectively inviting corporate sectors, media and travel and tour operators to interact with them on the current tourism scenario of Nepal. The programme focused on Nepal’s New Tourism Brand and Visit Pokhara Year 2007 campaigns.

The road shows in Dhaka and Chittagaon were accompanied by Everest Hotel.

Ramesh Prasad Khanal, acting Nepali envoy to Bangladesh highlighted the tourism attractions of Nepal that suit the taste of Bangladeshi visitors.