Lumbini sees decline of visitors

By Our Correspondent,Bhairahawa, July 19: The number of tourists from India and third countries visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, has increased.

Compared to the first six months of 2023, tourists from India and third countries have increased in the same period of 2024.  However, domestic tourists have decreased during this period.

According to the data provided by the Lumbini Development Trust, 204,694 tourists from India and third countries have come to Lumbini from January 2024 to June.

Rajan Basnet, Information Officer of Lumbini Development Trust, said, "Recently, more Indian tourists have come to Lumbini; it seems that Indians have developed a habit of visiting Lumbini."

According to the Trust, 152,520 tourists from India have come to visit Lumbini in the last six months.

During the same period in 2023, 133,179 Indians had come to Lumbini. Basnet said that the religious and spiritual activities taking place in Lumbini recently also attracted Indian tourists.

He also said, "The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reading of Ram Katha in Lumbini, etc. also seems to have increased the fascination of Indian tourists towards Lumbini."

Haridhwaj Rai, head of information department of the Trust, said that tourists from third countries had also increased in Lumbini along with Indians.

According to the Trust, 52 thousand 174 tourists from third countries (passport holders) have visited Lumbini in the last six months. Till June 2023, only 33 thousand 605 foreign tourists had come to Lumbini. The number of foreign tourists this year is 12,000 more than the last year.

However, domestic tourists coming to Lumbini have decreased.  344,529 domestic tourists have come to Lumbini during the first six months of 2024.  During this period last year, 355,850 Nepalis had visited Lumbini.

According to the Trust, most of the tourists from third countries coming in the last six months are from Thailand. A total of 12,244 tourists have come from that country. Similarly, 9,265 tourists from Sri Lanka, 7,295 tourists from Myanmar, and 6,734 tourists from China have come to Lumbini.

Rai said that 3,811 tourists from Vietnam, 2,722 from South Korea, and 1,119 from Germany visited Lumbini. “The arrival rate of other countries is less than 1000,” he said. “We expect the numbers to increase gradually.”