Nepal welcomed 1,209,357 foreign tourists during the fiscal year 2025/26 (FY 2082/83 BS), reflecting the continued recovery and growth of the country's tourism industry. According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), India remained Nepal's largest source market, contributing 311,531 visitors, accounting for approximately 25.76% of total international arrivals.
The United States ranked as the second-largest source market with 111,325 visitors, followed closely by China, which recorded 109,892 tourist arrivals during the fiscal year.
Other major source markets included Bangladesh (58,163), the United Kingdom (56,649), Australia (53,195), Sri Lanka (43,211), Bhutan (36,289), Myanmar (30,737), Germany (29,296), Thailand (27,201), Japan (25,762), and Malaysia (25,640).
Peak Tourist Arrival Months
Monthly arrival statistics show that Kartik (October–November) recorded the highest number of international arrivals, with 124,829 visitors. This was followed by Chaitra (March–April) with 119,390 arrivals, Falgun (February–March) with 114,152, and Ashoj (September–October) with 111,780 visitors.
International Promotion Driving Growth
The Nepal Tourism Board credited the increase in tourist arrivals to extensive international promotional campaigns, expanded air connectivity, and close collaboration with the private sector.
During the fiscal year, NTB organized more than 12 tourism promotion programs across major Indian cities, including Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi. In total, the board conducted over 40 international tourism promotion events in various global markets to strengthen Nepal's tourism presence.
Additionally, in the final three months of the fiscal year, NTB organized a series of cross-border tourism marts and fairs along Nepal's southern border—from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west—to boost tourism in the Terai region and encourage more visitors entering Nepal through land border points.
NTB Sees Positive Momentum
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board, Hikmat Singh Air, said the strong tourist arrival figures indicate that Nepal's tourism industry has moved beyond post-pandemic recovery and is now entering a phase of sustainable growth.
He emphasized that continued promotion in both established and emerging markets would help position Nepal as a year-round travel destination.
Air also highlighted the enormous potential of the Chinese market, stressing the need to strengthen targeted promotional campaigns, business-to-business (B2B) networking, and international sales missions. He added that NTB plans to expand similar initiatives in high-potential markets such as China, the United States, Australia, and Bangladesh in collaboration with the private sector during the current fiscal year.
