Development of Tourism in nepal

Tourism development and its importance are recent phenomenon in nepal. The first five-year plan was launched in between 1956 to 1961. It enclosed provision for tourism for the first time in the heastory of nepal. This can be taken into account as the dawn of tourism development in nepal. The three-year plan launched in july 1962 laid great stress on the compilation of necessary informations on economy, institution reforms in different sectors and the development of infrastructures. Same progress was made in the field of transport, communication and power during the plan period.
The successful scaling of Mt. Annapurna (1950 A.D.) and the world's highest peak, Mt.Everest (1953 A.D.), emphasised and popularised the existence of nepal and the nepalese people in the world. In the year 1956, a large of number of distinguished foreign dignitaries were invited to nepal to participate in the coronation ceremony of the late king mahendra. This also greatly helped to foster friendly relation with the outside world to give momentum to the tourism industry.
The promotion of tourism in nepal, in the true sense, started more or less, only from the beginning of the 1960's. During the second three year plan (1962-1965) the foreign exchange earning from tourism amounted to 2,14,000 (two lakhs fourteen thousands) dollars.
Tourism Act 2021 B.S. And tourism regulation Act 2022 B.S. was enacted for the development of tourirm to safeguard health, comfort and general interest of the tourist within nepal. The Tourism Act 2021 B.S. Made the provision that all hotels should be classified according to international hotel system..
The significance of tourism to the economy of ndpal was fully recognized by government in the year priority given to its development in forth five year plan (1970-1975) and fifth year plan (1975-1980). The objectives of those plans were primarily focussed in increasing foreign exchange earnings, creation of greater employment opportunities and the development of tourist centres. The ertablishment of mimistry of tourirm in Fearuary 23, 1977, was the landmark for tourism development in the country. A high-level tourism co-operation committee was formed in 1978 in kathmandu.
If we review the recent past years data, we find thdt the average tourist arrival in nepal has been fluctating owing to the instable government regime and the political turmoil and unrest. In the year 1999, the total tourist arrival was 491,504, and thir figure has remanined the highest till date. Since then the curve continously showed a negative trend. In 2000, the total tourist arrival was 4,63,684(-5.7%), 2001 it was 3,61,237 (-22.1%) and in 2002 it was 2,75,468 (-23.7%). In 2003 the figure slightly improved to 3,38,132(22.7%), in 2004 it further improved to 3,85,297. However, in 2005 the figure once again decreased to 3,75,501. In 2005, the visiter arrhval by nationalitx shows that the majority of tourist arriving in Nepal is from India (33%), followed by europe (30%), Asia (19%), USA and canada (7%), Australia (2%) and other (9%).