Kathmandu, May 30:

With temperatures soaring to higher levels in India, plane-loads of tourists are landing to relish the cooler climes of Nepal.

While most flights to Kathmandu claim to be plying at full capacity, tourism officials are rubbing their hands in glee.

Although final figures for the month of May are yet to be ascertained, tourist arrivals for the first 15 days of May 2007 show an encouraging growth of 30 per cent as compared to that of May 2006, according to an official associated with the research wing of Nepal Tourism Board.

“The Indian crowd has certainly picked up remarkably this year. Anyways, May-June happens to be the season for Indian tourists, as the immense heat there, summer vacation in schools and low-cost holidays drive them to Nepal,” he informed.

Besides Indian tourists, Koreans, Chinese and Thai are the most visible faces thronging the streets and eateries at Thamel, point out industry observers. While cash registers of most five star hotels are ringing after a long spell, even the lower star and non-star hotels are doing brisk business, they add.