China Southern Airlines starts two daily flights from Guangzhou to Kathmandu.

KATHMANDU, June 05:China Southern Airlines has increased its number of flights in Nepal. The airline, which currently operates one flight per day on China's Guangzhou-Kathmandu route, began two daily flights on Saturday.

On this occasion, Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Hit Bahadur Tamang received a representative from China Southern Airlines to Tribhuvan International Airport.

Minister Tamang and a representative from China Southern Airlines in Nepal greeted the cabin crew of the official supplementary flight from Guangzhou to Kathmandu at the airport.

Minister Tamang expressed confidence that China Southern Airlines' commercial flights will become more reliable, safer, and effective in the coming days, thereby contributing to tourism promotion.

According to airport spokesperson Subas Jha, a plane from China Southern Airlines landed at Tribhuwan International Airport on Saturday afternoon and flew to Guangzhou with passengers from here.

Before to the COVID-19 epidemic, the airline operated two daily flights in Nepal, but has now cut one flight. The curtailed flight has been resumed as of Saturday, June 1.

The plane that will land from Guangzhou to Kathmandu at 2 pm is scheduled to take off from Kathmandu to Guangzhou at 3 pm. Likewise, the airport office said that the airport office is scheduled to land in Kathmandu at 11 o'clock every night and fly to Guangzhou at 12 o'clock in the night.

Along with this, four Chinese airlines are now flying to Kathmandu.  Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Estern Airlines, and Sichuan Airlines all fly to Nepal. Chinese visitors are expected to arrive in greater numbers as flights from China rise.

Even though Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) had planned a flight to Guangzhou in China prior to Covid-19, it was canceled due to the pandemic.

China is Nepal's second-largest tourism destination after India. In addition, China has been the world leader in outbound tourism. Experts say that if only one percent of China's total outbound tourists can be brought to Nepal, it will be enough.

Several tourism trade fairs have been held to lure more Chinese tourists from China to Nepal. Diplomatic and cultural visits between the two countries occur at various periods, enhancing the partnership through tourism and culture.

According to data from the Nepal Tourism Board, 1 million 14 thousand 882 foreign tourists visited Nepal in 2023. The total number of Chinese tourists was 60,878.

Nepal has already stated that it will not collect visa costs to Chinese travelers. The Chinese Embassy has announced that Nepalese will not be charged a visa cost for ordinary visas from May 1st. Since 2016, Nepal has offered free visas to Chinese citizens.

Chinese tourist numbers are expected to surge in 2024. According to the board, 111,376 foreign tourists visited Nepal last April, with only 9,750 coming from China.

Nepal had 12,093 Chinese tourists in March, 9,180 in February, and 1,436 in January. Before the Corona pandemic, 169,543 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2019.