Most tourists visiting Nepal come from India and US

KATHMANDU, July 4: It has been revealed that the highest number of tourists visiting Nepal come from India, followed by the United States. Recent data also shows a steady rise in the overall number of tourist arrivals, indicating a gradual revival of Nepal’s tourism sector in recent years. Government records suggest that hotel businesses are becoming more active, and revenue generated from tourism is also on the rise.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, in 2024, 27.70 percent of tourists visiting Nepal were from India, followed by 9.67 percent from the United States, 8.89 percent from China, 4.79 percent from the United Kingdom, 4.27 percent from Bangladesh, 3.83 percent from Australia, 2.70 percent from Sri Lanka, 2.61 percent from Thailand, 2.61 percent from Germany, and 2.35 percent from South Korea. Tourists from other countries accounted for 30.57 percent. Over the past year, the number of tourist arrivals in Nepal has increased by 13 percent.

According to the latest Economic Survey published by the Ministry of Finance, 60.4 percent of tourists who visited Nepal in 2024 came for holiday, recreation, and travel. Likewise, 15.3 percent visited for pilgrimage, 14.5 percent for mountaineering and adventure activities, and 9.8 percent for other purposes.

According to the ministry, tourist arrivals stood at 1,014,882 by mid-January 2024, which increased by 13.0 percent to reach 1,147,548 by mid-January 2025. This indicates a growing momentum in Nepal’s tourism sector. The ministry also reported that with the expansion of tourism-related activities, the income generated from tourist visits has also increased.

According to the ministry, Nepal earned Rs 72.45 billion in tourism revenue in 2023, which increased by 15 percent to Rs 83.39 billion in 2024. With the rise in tourist numbers, there have also been some changes in tourists’ average daily spending and length of stay. In 2023, the average length of stay for tourists was 13.2 days, while the average daily spending per tourist was USD 41.

In 2024, there was a slight change in tourists' average length of stay and daily spending. The average length of stay increased to 13.3 days, while the average daily spending per tourist stood at USD 40.8.

Not only has the number of tourists visiting Nepal increased, but the number of mountaineering expeditions has also gone up. In 2024, the number of expedition teams rose by 5.42 percent. However, the number of individual climbers slightly declined from 9,398 in 2023 to 9,191 in 2024. With this drop, the royalty revenue from mountaineering also decreased by 7.4 percent—from Rs 999.3 million in 2023 to Rs 925.8 million in 2024.

According to information provided by the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management, a total of 28,233 skilled personnel have been produced in this sector so far. Alongside this, the number of hotels in Nepal is also increasing. The number of five-star hotels, including deluxe ones, rose from 182 as of Mid-March 2024 to 214 by mid-March 2025.

Apart from star-rated hotels, the number of deluxe and luxury heritage boutique hotels, as well as tourist-standard hotels, lodges, and resorts, has also increased. The total of such establishments rose from 1,234 as of mid-March 2024 to 1,364 by mid-March 2025.

Similarly, the number of beds in star-rated hotels, including resorts and deluxe hotels, increased by 3,270 by mid-March 2025, reaching a total of 20,343. Besides these, the number of beds in tourist-standard deluxe/luxury heritage boutique hotels, lodges, and resorts also rose by 5,202, reaching 42,299 by mid-March 2025.

As of mid-March 2025, there are 29 casinos operating in Nepal, including nine traditional casinos and 20 that operate solely through modern machines or equipment. This number had been 26 as of mid-July 2024. Along with the increase in tourist arrivals, the number of travel agencies and trekking agencies has also been rising.

According to information provided by the ministry, as of mid-March 2025, there are 4,963 registered travel agencies, 3,252 trekking agencies, and 97 packing agencies. During the same period, there were also 155 registered tourist transport services, 5,269 tour guides, 27,128 trekking guides, and 425 river guides.