Kathmandu, January 4:

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is luring more international pilgrims as it has become a much-revered tourist destination in recent years.

According to data from the Tourist Information Centre of Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), the number of tourists visitning Lumbinit increased by 15.5 per cent in 2008. The number of passport-holding tourists was 71,053 in 2007, which increased to 82,075 tourists and pilgrims from 95 countries this year. “Next year, it will cross one lakh,” hoped LDT.

Not only foreigners, the number of tourists is also increasing recently. Of 4,50,000 non-passport holding tourists, Nepalis comprised 75 per cent while Indians comprised 25 per cent of those visiting Lumbini in 2008. “Rapid development work in and around Lumbini Development Area, informative and promotional activities of the Trust and political stability in the nation are the main reasons for this good growth rate of tourists in Lumbini,” said LDT.

The Information Centre of the Trust has a projection of 30 per cent more tourists by the end of this year. However, due to problems like transportation barrier, political unrest in Thailand, the terror attack in Mumbai and worldwide financial crisis might affect the expected growth rate. Among the visitors, Sri Lankan tourists as usual topped the chart with 31,984 in 2008 whereas Thailand came second with 14,454 visitors. “The number of visitors from Myanmar, South Korea, China, and Japan respectively are 5,825; 5,784; 2,261 and 2,247,” according to the Trust.

Lumbini had tghe distinction of receiving United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon the past year. High level official delegates of China, Sri Lanka and India also patronize the Trust, LDT added.