Nepal reaps peace dividend as tourists flood back
Afp, Kathmandu
Impoverished Nepal's crucial tourism sector is reaping a major peace dividend with officials reporting a surge in arrivals of nearly 45 percent in the wake of an agreement by Maoist rebels to end a decade of insurgency. Although tourism officials said the figure meant the country was now back on the international tourist map, industry representatives said the sector was still suffering from lingering damage to the country's travel infrastructure. "The last five months have shown encouraging signs of growth in the tourism sector," said Aditya Baral, a spokesman for the Himalayan nation's tourism board. He said there was 43.4 percent year-on-year growth in foreign visitors arriving by air between January and May, with the trend expected to improve, giving solid year-end figures.
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