By Shyam Shankar Pandey, Lumbini, Jan. 5: Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, recorded a handsome number of tourists in 2021.

The greatly suffering tourism sector has experienced relief in 2021 when compared to the situation in 2020.

A total of 45,329 foreign tourists had visited Lumbini in the first three months of 2020. However, after three months, the COVID-19-led lockdown started.

“After the lockdown was lifted, a total of 508,892 tourists, both foreign and domestic, visited Lumbini in 2021,” said Gyanin Rai, chief administrative officer at Lumbini Development Fund (LDF).

However, the tourism sector was still shut down due to the pandemic for three months – May, June and July – in 2021.

According to Rai, the tourists came to Lumbini for nine months in 2021 and domestic tourists were in majority.

Among the 508,892 tourists visiting Lumbini in 2021, 463,963 were Nepalis, 43,732 were Indians and 1,197 were from other countries.

“Among the foreigners, 140 were Americans, 139 Chinese, 108 Germans, 81 Russians and 55 Brazilians, among others,” said Rai.

Similarly, tourists from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, South Korea, Ukraine, Japan and Thailand had also visited Lumbini.

“Maya Devi Temple, Pushkarini Pond, Ashoka Pillar, Bishwo Shanti Deep, Nauka Yatra, central canal and different domestic and foreign monasteries are the major destinations for tourists in Lumbini,” said Rai.

Despite a risk of COVID-19 prevalent in the country, the number of tourists visiting the destination was encouraging, informed officials at LDF.

Hotel and tourism entrepreneurs in Lumbini also informed that a good number of tourists visited the place in 2021.