Kathmandu, 2 Jan: In 2019, Nepal welcomed a record 1,197,191 tourists—the highest number so far. In 2025, although arrivals came close to that figure, the country failed to break the record. According to data released by the Nepal Tourism Board citing the Department of Immigration, a total of 1,158,459 tourists visited Nepal in 2025.
This figure is 3 percent lower than in 2019, but represents a 3.9 percent increase compared to 2024. In 2024, Nepal had welcomed 1,147,548 tourists. The year 2018 had recorded the highest growth rate in tourist arrivals, at 18 percent, which was the highest in the Asia-Pacific region at the time.
Since then, however, the growth rate has declined sharply. According to Nepal Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi, the Gen Z movement in September followed by two natural disasters significantly affected tourist arrivals. Unseasonal rainfall in October and November disrupted daily life across the country, which also impacted arrivals from Nepal’s two neighboring countries. He stated that had these two factors not occurred, Nepal could have attracted 1.25 to 1.3 million tourists this year.
Nevertheless, he noted that the tourism sector rebounded quickly after the protests and succeeded in sending a positive message for the future.
“Regardless of any movement or unrest, Nepal is a country built for tourism, and the rapid recovery has conveyed the message that tourists face no risk here,” he said. “This is a positive sign for the future of Nepal’s tourism.”
In December 2025 alone, 98,190 tourists visited Nepal. In comparison, 92,033 tourists arrived in December 2024, while 108,066 tourists visited in December 2019.
Declining Trend from SAARC, Improvement from the Middle East
Tourist arrivals from SAARC countries declined in 2025. A total of 408,103 tourists arrived from SAARC nations, which is 2.3 percent lower than in 2024.
SAARC countries remain Nepal’s largest tourism source market, accounting for 35.2 percent of total arrivals. Arrivals from other Asian countries saw a slight improvement, with 253,311 tourists visiting Nepal, compared to 252,567 the previous year.
From the Oceania region, 53,695 tourists arrived, up from 48,209 in the previous year. Tourist arrivals from the Americas totaled 135,503, slightly higher than 134,105 in 2024. From European countries, 221,018 tourists visited Nepal, compared to 214,045 last year. Arrivals from the Middle East increased to 20,504 from 16,648 in 2024.
Tourist arrivals from African countries stood at 4,320, slightly lower than 4,456 the previous year. From other regions, 62,005 tourists arrived, up from 59,692 last year.
Continuous Decline in Indian and Chinese Tourists
Nepal counts all Indian nationals entering by air as tourists, while Chinese nationals entering by both land and air are considered tourists.
According to the Tourism Board, arrivals from both countries have been on a continuous decline. In 2025, 292,438 Indian tourists visited Nepal, which is 8 percent lower than in 2024, when 317,781 Indians arrived. However, compared to the pre-COVID period, Indian arrivals are still increasing.
Chinese tourist arrivals, on the other hand, have not returned to pre-COVID levels. In 2025, 95,480 Chinese tourists visited Nepal—6.3 percent lower than in 2024 and 43.7 percent lower than in 2019, when 169,543 Chinese tourists visited the country.
Among SAARC nations, arrivals from Sri Lanka saw the highest improvement, increasing by 24.2 percent to 37,550 tourists. Similarly, Bangladeshi tourists increased by 17.8 percent, reaching 57,545 visitors.
