Tourist arrivals in Nepal increase by 6% in October despite natural disasters

Despite challenges, Nepal’s tourism sector has made remarkable strides in 2024. According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), 940,732 foreign tourists visited the country in the first 10 months of the fiscal year 2024/25, signaling a steady recovery from the pandemic.

October saw 124,393 tourist arrivals, a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year. However, this figure is slightly below the pre-COVID October 2019 record of 134,096. The late September floods and landslides, caused by heavy rains on September 28, disrupted travel across Nepal. Key roads leading to popular destinations were blocked, leading to travel delays and cancellations. NTB estimates that these disruptions prevented an even higher influx of tourists

The number of visitors from neighboring countries declined due to monsoon-related issues. Indian arrivals dropped by 13% in October (16,313), while Chinese visitors fell to 7,750. In contrast, arrivals from the U.S. surged by 12.88%, with 16,023 visitors in October, up from 10,084 in September. Other notable contributors included UK (8,019), Australia (6,929), Germany (6,018), France (5,485), Italy (2,635) and South Asia: Bangladesh (4,476), Sri Lanka (3,112)

March recorded the highest monthly arrivals at 128,167, while July saw the lowest at 64,599. These figures highlight Nepal’s growing appeal, particularly during the spring and autumn seasons. Despite natural disasters, NTB remains optimistic. With infrastructure repairs underway and growing interest from Western markets, Nepal’s tourism industry is poised for continued growth.