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Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Indian Express
Amid rise of ‘luxury options and soft adventure' Indians accounted for nearly 23% of tourists in Nepal between Jan and May
Of the 5.01 lakh tourists that arrived in Nepal between January and May this year, Indians accounted for the largest share with 1.15 lakh tourists, which translates to nearly 23 percent of the share. While India continues to dominate the tourist market, a new trend is emerging among Indian tourists with a larger demand for leisure travel and 'soft adventure' particularly amongst tourists from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi. The surge, according to the Nepal Tourism Board, has been spurred by the rise of high-end, luxury properties developing across the Himalayan nation. Data procured from Nepal government's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation showed that tourism is witnessing a steady rise post-pandemic, with 11.47 lakh tourists arriving in Nepal in 2024, marking a jump of 13.07 percent from the previous year. Of the total tourists, Indians made up for the largest number of tourists in the Himalayan country accounting for 3.17 lakh tourists in 2024, followed by 1.11 lakh tourists from the USA, 1.01 lakh tourists from China and 57,554 tourists from the United Kingdom. In 2025, India continued to retain its position as the largest source for the tourism market in Nepal. Between January and May, this year, 5.01 lakh tourists visited Nepal with Indians accounting for nearly 23 percent of the total share with 1.15 lakh tourists. What makes Nepal an appealing choice for Indians, according to experts, is the lack of visa application, open borders and proximity. While holidays, trekking and pilgrimage tourism continue to dominate the purpose of travel in Nepal, tour operators have observed a shift in preferences among Indian tourists with a larger share of visitors now demanding 'soft adventure' and luxury experiences. Speaking to The Indian Express, Sunil Sharma, officiating director, public relations and publicity department of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said that while typically Indians have preferred traveling to places such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan or visiting pilgrimage sites over longer durations, higher numbers of Indian tourists are now looking for leisure travel. Sharma said, 'As a large number of high end properties are developing all over Nepal particularly in places like Kathmandu and Pokhara, Indian tourists' demand has surged for leisure travel and soft adventure. This means that Indian tourists are increasingly preferring exotic resorts and destinations in the mountain areas where they stay for two nights, relax, explore the surrounding mountains leisurely before returning back. Such demand is particularly being observed amongst tourists from Maharashtra and Gujarat.' Records furnished from the Nepal tourism department showed that between 2023 and October 2024, star hotel properties saw a much higher rise of nearly 17.6 percent across the country while non-star hotels increased by 10.5 percent. 'Unlike hard adventure in trekking where trekkers climb upto nearly 5,000 metres for days, 'soft adventure' is where visitors trek for two – three hours at the most, adventure without punishing the body. More Indians are now preferring such soft adventures where they trek for some hours, then relax in their resorts and leisurely enjoy the mountains,' said Sharma, adding, 'One of the popular destinations for such travel amongst Indians is Dhampus which offers majestic views of the Annapurna range.' Furthermore, towns situated along Indian borders such as Birjung, Simra, Nepalgunj, Bhairawa, cities in Jhapa district are also fast emerging as a preferred hub for destination weddings among Indians as well as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). 'The surge in these destinations' appeal is driven by excellent connectivity from India, coupled with the growing presence of high-end hotels and resorts in Nepal's border cities. This combination of accessibility and luxury infrastructure has made Nepal an increasingly attractive choice for hosting memorable weddings,' added Sharma. For Nepal, tourism is the second highest foreign exchange earner, after remittances, contributing to nearly seven percent of the country's GDP, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). (The correspondent was in Nepal at the invitation of Embassy of Nepal, New Delhi)
Indian Express
24-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
June 24 1985, Forty Years Ago: Air India crash
All 329 people aboard an Air India jumbo jet were killed in India's worst air disaster, apparently due to sabotage, about 180 km off the coast of Ireland. Twenty-two were crew members. Of the passengers, 77 were children and two infants. The plane's sudden disappearance without any distress signals has given rise to speculation that a mid-air explosion may have caused the crash. Experts said they would not be surprised if a bomb had been planted. Causes Of Crash A sudden mid-air explosion, caused possibly by a time bomb, is being regarded as the probable cause of the crash of the Air India jumbo jet Kanishka. While an airline spokesman initially chose to be guarded about the possible cause of what is considered the worst air disaster to hit Air India, the Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation, later in statements, said an explosion might have caused the air crash. Families Inconsolable Satyawati Bajaj came to the Palam airport laden with garlands, fruits and other small gifts for her daughter Anju Bajaj, 21, one of the passengers of the ill-fated Air India plane which crashed off the Irish coast. She told newsmen that her daughter told her on the telephone that she had been fasting. She had, therefore, brought fruits. Anju Bajaj was to be married shortly. Condolence Messages Pakistan's president, Zia-ul-Haq, and Prime Minister Muhammad Junejo have expressed sympathies with President Zail Singh and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with respect to the Air India crash. The Bangladesh President, Lt Gen Hussain Muhammad Ershad, in a message to Rajiv Gandhi, also expressed his deep sympathies.
India Today
15-06-2025
- India Today
Chardham helicopter services suspended for two days after Kedarnath crash
Helicopter services on the Chardham yatra route were suspended for two days on Sunday in the wake of the crash of a chopper returning from people, including the pilot, were killed in the helicopter crash on Sunday Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who held an emergency meeting with senior officials to discuss the situation, said heli services will remain suspended for two days as the weather is bad and the safety of passengers is the state government's top He also told officials at the meeting to issue a strict SOP for heli operations in the state and set up a control and command centre here, besides taking action against those responsible for the crash."There should not be any laxity regarding compliance with DGCA norms in helicopter operations in the state. It should also be ensured that the pilots flying in the upper Himalayan region are experienced," Dhami said after the emergency Secretary Anand Bardhan, Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority) and DGCA officials attended the meeting, held via video attributed the crash to inclement weather and said heli operations will remain suspended for two days on Sunday and Monday."The weather is also bad and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. There will be no heli services today and tomorrow. Aviation companies, DGCA and UCADA have been asked to review the situation thoroughly before resuming heli operations", he crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Chardham yatra route in Uttarakhand. The Chardham yatra involves Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri latest crash involving an Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning is the fifth helicopter accident on the pilgrimage route since the start of the yatra on April 30.
The Hindu
15-06-2025
- The Hindu
Helicopter services for Chardham yatra suspended for two days
Helicopter services on the Chardham yatra route were suspended for two days on Sunday in the wake of the crash of a chopper returning from Kedarnath. Seven people, including the pilot, were killed in the helicopter crash on Sunday (June 15, 2025) morning. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who held an emergency meeting with senior officials to discuss the situation, said helicopter services will remain suspended for two days as the weather is bad and the safety of passengers is the state government's top priority. He also told officials at the meeting to issue a strict SOP for helicopter operations in the State and set up a control and command centre in Dehradun besides taking action against those responsible for the crash. 'There should not be any laxity regarding compliance with DGCA norms in helicopter operations in the state. It should also be ensured that the pilots flying in the upper Himalayan region are experienced,' Mr. Dhami said after the emergency meeting. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority) and DGCA officials attended the meeting held via video conferencing. Mr. Dhami attributed the crash to inclement weather and said heli operations will remain suspended for two days on Sunday (June 15) and Monday (June 16). 'The weather is also bad and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. There will be no heli services today and tomorrow. Aviation companies, DGCA and UCADA have been asked to review the situation thoroughly before resuming heli operations,' he said. Helicopter crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Chardham yatra route in Uttarakhand. The Chardham yatra involves Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines. The latest crash involving an Aryan Aviation Pvt. Ltd. chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning is the fifth helicopter accident on the pilgrimage route since the start of the yatra on April 30.
NDTV
15-06-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
Helicopter Services For Chardham Yatra Suspended For 2 Days After Chopper Crash
Dehradun: Helicopter services on the Chardham yatra route were suspended for two days on Sunday in the wake of the crash of a chopper returning from Kedarnath. Seven people, including the pilot, were killed in the helicopter crash on Sunday morning. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who held an emergency meeting with senior officials to discuss the situation, said heli services will remain suspended for two days as the weather is bad and the safety of passengers is the state government's top priority. He also told officials at the meeting to issue a strict SOP for heli operations in the state and set up a control and command centre here besides taking action against those responsible for the crash. "There should not be any laxity regarding compliance with DGCA norms in helicopter operations in the state. It should also be ensured that the pilots flying in the upper Himalayan region are experienced," Mr Dhami said after the emergency meeting. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority) and DGCA officials attended the meeting held via video conferencing. Mr Dhami attributed the crash to inclement weather and said heli operations will remain suspended for two days on Sunday and Monday. "The weather is also bad and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. There will be no heli services today and tomorrow. Aviation companies, DGCA and UCADA have been asked to review the situation thoroughly before resuming heli operations, " he said. Helicopter crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Chardham yatra route in Uttarakhand. The Chardham yatra involves Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines. The latest crash involving an Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning is the fifth helicopter accident on the pilgrimage route since the start of the yatra on April 30.
