The department’s statistics show that an annual average of 199,976 Nepalis travelled overseas for tourism and pilgrimage between 2021 and 2025. Travel businesses say Dashain is one of the peak seasons for outbound tourism.
According to the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Thailand has traditionally been the leading destination for Nepalis travelling abroad through Nepali travel agencies.
In recent years, however, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as another attractive destination. NATTA has warned that it may boycott Thailand tour packages, citing the financial risks faced by Nepali travellers and travel businesses because of the country’s visa procedures.
According to NATTA, applicants are required to provide flight tickets and hotel bookings even though visa approval is not guaranteed. The requirement that advance booking payments may be non-refundable if visas are rejected has added to the difficulties. As a result, more travellers are turning to the UAE and other destinations.
The tourism and pilgrimage figures do not include Nepalis travelling abroad for education, family visits, temporary residence or permanent settlement.
They also exclude travel for conferences and seminars, business, medical treatment, official visits, cultural events, United Nations missions, sporting events, repatriation and other purposes. Nepalis travelling abroad for tourism-related employment are also excluded.
According to the department, 233,108 Nepalis travelled abroad for tourism and pilgrimage in 2025 alone. The figures also indicate that overseas migration from Nepal has continued to rise in recent years.
A total of 7,126,459 Nepalis travelled abroad for various purposes over the past five years, of whom 52 percent went for foreign employment.
“This data shows the economy’s structural dependence on foreign employment,” the department said.
After employment, tourism is the next major purpose for Nepalis travelling abroad, accounting for an average of 14 percent of departures, according to the department’s figures.
How Many Nepalis Travelled Abroad for Tourism Each Year?
The department’s data for the past five years are as follows:
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2021: 110,521
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2022: 177,304
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2023: 204,517
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2024: 274,428
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2025: 233,108
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Total: 998,878
The statistics show that tourism-related departures peaked in 2024 before declining in 2025.
Meanwhile, 5.25 percent of Nepalis travelling abroad did so for temporary residence, while 4.20 percent went for permanent settlement.
According to the department’s migration analysis, 60 percent of Nepalis leaving the country each year are seeking economic opportunities or pursuing migration-related objectives.
Nepalis travelling abroad for education account for 6.9 percent of total departures. The trend has increased sharply: the number of people leaving for education rose from approximately 26,000 in 2021 to 133,000 in 2025, an increase of more than 400 percent.
The department’s analysis suggests that the purpose of overseas travel among Nepalis is shifting from short-term employment towards education and longer-term settlement abroad.
How Many Nepalis Travel Abroad for Purposes Other Than Tourism?
According to the Department of Immigration, an average of 743,682 Nepalis travelled abroad for foreign employment annually between 2021 and 2025. In 2025 alone, the figure reached 866,310.
For education, an average of 97,956 Nepalis travelled abroad each year. The number rose to 133,870 in 2025.
An average of 116,378 Nepalis travelled abroad annually to visit or accompany family members and relatives. In 2025, approximately 130,000 people travelled for this purpose.
For temporary residence, an average of 74,881 Nepalis went abroad each year, rising to 97,939 in 2025.
Similarly, an average of 59,864 Nepalis travelled abroad annually for permanent settlement. The number reached 64,760 in 2025.
An average of 32,850 Nepalis travelled abroad each year for purposes classified as “other.” In 2025, the figure stood at 49,386.
The department’s data also show that an average of 19,949 Nepalis travelled abroad annually as dependants, while 17,597 went for conferences, seminars and training.
For business purposes, an average of 14,860 Nepalis travelled abroad each year.
Other categories included an average of 15,811 people travelling for medical treatment, 11,254 for official visits, 8,686 for employment not requiring a work permit, and 2,959 for cultural programmes.
The department also recorded annual averages of 6,104 Nepalis travelling for United Nations missions, 2,440 for sporting events and 43 returning to their own countries.
Total Number of Nepalis Travelling Abroad Rises
The Department of Immigration recorded the following total numbers of Nepalis travelling abroad for all purposes over the past five years:
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2021: 626,481
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2022: 1,397,250
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2023: 1,572,400
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2024: 1,685,492
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2025: 1,700,969
The figures show a substantial increase in overseas departures since 2021, although the data cover a range of purposes, including employment, education, tourism and migration.
Which Countries Attract the Most Nepalis?
According to the department’s latest statistics, the UAE is the leading destination for Nepalis travelling abroad. The figures include people leaving for foreign employment as well as other purposes.
Over the past five years, an average of 271,893 Nepalis travelled to the UAE annually, making it the most popular destination in terms of total departures.
Qatar ranked second, receiving an annual average of 168,489 Nepalis, followed by Saudi Arabia, with an average of 144,367.
India ranked fourth, with an annual average of 113,853 Nepalis travelling there.
Other major destinations recorded in the statistics include:
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Malaysia: 105,836 annually
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Australia: 82,567
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Japan: 81,748
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United States: 60,148
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Kuwait: 45,747
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United Kingdom: 45,465
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South Korea: 28,699
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Thailand: 26,646
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Oman: 14,557
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Hong Kong: 14,388
China also remained a significant destination, receiving an annual average of 51,224 Nepalis.
The statistics highlight the growing scale of international travel and migration from Nepal. While the UAE and other Gulf countries remain major destinations because of employment opportunities, increasing numbers of Nepalis are also travelling abroad for education, tourism, family visits and long-term settlement.
Note: The figures above have been translated from the supplied Nepali report. Some category totals and percentages may reflect rounding or differences in the department’s classification methods.
