27 Jun 2023 2 min to read
Nepal saw a big increase in tourism in the first 5 months of 2023. More than over 400000 foreign tourists in 5 months in Nepal arrived via air travel during this time. This is a significant growth compared to previous years, according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
In May 2023, Nepal had 77,703 international tourists visiting from over 180 countries. This is a significant increase compared to May 2022, which had 53,608 arrivals. The difference is even more noticeable when compared to March 2021, with 1,531 arrivals, and March 2020, with only 31 arrivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the NTB, tourism in Nepal has made an impressive recovery, reaching 99.20 percent of the visitor numbers from May 2019, which was before the COVID-19 outbreak. In May 2019, Nepal welcomed 78,329 tourists. This positive trend indicates a strong comeback for the country’s travel industry.
In May 2023, India was the leading country of origin for tourists visiting Nepal, with 35,575 Indian nationals visiting the country. This shows an increase compared to the same month in the previous year when Nepal welcomed 26,662 Indian tourists.
The United States ranked as the second-largest source country of tourists in May, with 8,545 American nationals visiting the country. Although there was a slight increase compared to May 2022, when Nepal welcomed 7,274 American tourists, it still shows a positive trend of growth.
Other notable countries contributing to Nepal’s tourism include China, with 4,667 tourists, the United Kingdom with 2,927 tourists, Australia with 2,184 tourists, Bangladesh with 2,164 tourists, Malaysia with 1,321 tourists, Germany with 1,165 tourists, France with 1,097 tourists, and South Korea with 1,039 tourists, among others.
In terms of geography, the majority of tourists visiting Nepal in May 2023 came from SAARC countries, accounting for 40,362 visitors or 51.9 percent of the total. Asia contributed 9,237 tourists (11.9 percent), Europe contributed 9,510 tourists (12.2 percent), Oceania contributed 2,482 tourists (4.6 percent), the Americas contributed 9,576 tourists (12.3 percent), the Middle East contributed 659 tourists (0.8 percent), and the remaining 5,877 tourists (7.6 percent) came from various other countries.
The noteworthy increase in tourist arrivals to Nepal during the first 5 months of 2023 indicates a remarkable recovery for the country’s tourism industry compared to previous years. This data reflects a growing interest in Nepal as a travel destination, with diverse international visitors contributing to the country’s economy and fostering cultural exchange.
