Despite challenges, Nepal’s tourism sector has made remarkable strides in 2024. According to a press statement by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), 940,732 foreign tourists visited the country in the first 10 months of the fiscal year 2024/25, signalling a steady recovery from the pandemic.

According to the statement, October saw 124,393 tourist arrivals, a 6.4 pc increase compared to the same period last year. However, this figure is slightly below the pre-Covid October 2019 record of 134,096. The statement adds that late September floods and landslides, caused by heavy rains on September 28, disrupted travel across Nepal. Key roads leading to popular destinations were blocked, leading to travel delays and cancellations. NTB says it estimates that these disruptions prevented an even higher influx of tourists.

The number of visitors from neighbouring countries declined due to monsoon-related issues. Indian arrivals dropped by 13 pc in October to 16,313, while Chinese visitors fell to 7,750. In contrast, arrivals from the United States increased by 12.88 pc, with 16,023 visitors in October, up from 10,084 in September.

Other notable contributors included the United Kingdom with 8,019 visitors, Australia with 6,929 tourists, Germany with 6,018, France with 5,485 and Italy with 2,635 visitors in October. In South Asia, besides India, other major source markets in October included Bangladesh with 4,476 and Sri Lanka with 3,112 visitors.

According to the NTB data, March recorded the highest monthly arrivals at 128,167, while July saw the lowest at 64,599. The tourism board says that these figures highlight Nepal’s growing appeal, particularly during the spring and autumn seasons.

Despite natural disasters, NTB says it remains optimistic. With infrastructure repairs underway and growing interest from Western markets, Nepal’s tourism industry is poised for continued growth.