Tourist arrivals rise 5 percent to 1,209,357 in one year

Kathmandu / July 26: More than 1.209 million tourists visited Nepal in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26, which was 4.8 percent more than the number visited in the previous FY.

The records of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) show that an additional 56,285 foreign visitors came to Nepal in the last FY, when the number was recorded at 1,153,072. Of the total number visited in the review year, 25.76 percent were Indians.

According to the NTB, India has become the largest tourist source market for Nepal in recent years. In the last FY, 311,531 tourists came to Nepal from India alone.

Likewise, 111,325 tourists came from the US and 109,892 from China. This was followed by 58,163 from Bangladesh, 56,649 from the UK, 53,195 from Australia, 43,211 from Sri Lanka, 36,289 from Bhutan, 30,737 from Myanmar, 29,296 from Germany, 27,201 from Thailand, 25,762 from Japan and 25,640 from Malaysia.

On a monthly basis, the highest number of tourists’ arrival was during mid-October and mid-November, with the country welcoming 124,829 individuals during the period. Likewise, 119,390 foreign tourists entered the country between mid-March and mid-April, followed by 114,152 in the previous month.

The NTB claimed that promotional activities along Nepal-India borders, cross-border programs and increased participation in international markets, led to increased inflows of tourists in the review period. According to the NTB, more than 12 tourism promotion programs were conducted in major cities of India and more than 40 in international markets.

The government has officially declared 2027 as Nepal Wellness Year, aiming to bring in more visitors for wellness and health tourism. According to officials of the NTB, the board has planned to conduct promotional programs in China, America, Australia and Bangladesh for this purpose.

NTB Acting Chief Executive Hikmat Singh Airee said Nepal’s tourism has grown positively due to international market promotion, expanded air access, and cooperation with the private sector. According to him, China can ensure enormous potential for tourist arrivals in Nepal if the business growth is targeted through business-to-business (B2B) contacts.

Despite an inclining number of tourists’ inflows, the average spending is found to be declining in recent years. According to government statistics, the average length of stay of foreign tourists reached a record 16.34 days in 2025. However, their average daily spending fell to $33.09, the second-lowest level on record and far below the regional average of $100-150.

In 2024, the average daily spending stood at $40.80. Tourism ministry data shows tourist spending has been on a long downward trend since peaking at $79.1 per day in 2003.