KATHMANDU: Europe, a major market for Nepal, is lacking direct scheduled flight contribution since 15 years. Along with America and Australia, Europe is a traditional market for Nepal but after Lufthansa Airlines stopped flights to Kathmandu, there is no direct flight to Kathmandu. Lufthansa, the German airlines, contributed a satisfactory number of Spanish tourists to Nepal for eight years. The airlines operated from Frankfurt to Kathmandu from 1987 for eight years.

According to former managing director of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) Mohan Khanal, for about eight years Lufthansa contributed a large number of tourists after it started direct flights to Kathmandu in 1987. While restructuring its routes, the only direct airlines that connected Europe and Nepal stopped operations. “There are some airlines in operation but they are chartered and low budget airlines,” said Khanal. He added that for quality tourist arrival from European countries scheduled airlines are needed for bringing high income group tourists.