Nepal expects steep rise in Indian tourist inflow

Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) Nepal may see a 32 percent jump in tourist inflow from India, a Nepal Tourism Board official said Wednesday.

"We are expecting a 30-32 percent increase in the inflow of tourists from India. In 2011, Nepal received 145,338 tourists from India by air. But we do not know the exact number who came by roads. The actual number is quite high," said Mani Raj Lamichhane of Nepal Tourism Board.

The board officials are holding a three-city 'roadshow' in India to attract more tourists.

"Most Indian tourists come from the southern states and Delhi. Delhi tops the list because of it offers a large number of flights to Nepal," he said.

However, tourist inflow from Bengal to Nepal was low because there were not many regular flights, he said.