Nepal sets tourism record in 2011

Nepal had its best ever year for tourism in 2011, with most of the growth coming from neighbouring India and China, officials said yesterday.
Once a must-see destination on the famed "hippy trail", Nepal was dealt a severe blow during the decade-long civil war that ended in 2006, with tourist numbers dropping dramatically.
But the new data show a marked recovery, with tourism accounting for seven percent of gross domestic product -- more than $1 billion -- last year.
The Nepal Tourism Board said there were 719,547 visitors in 2011, including those travelling over land.