Banking News – Nepal welcomed 1,209,357 foreign tourists during the fiscal year 2025/26 (FY 2082/83 BS), with India remaining the country’s largest source market, according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

The NTB’s international tourist arrival statistics show that 311,531 visitors arrived from India, accounting for approximately 25.76% of total arrivals. The United States ranked second with 111,325 tourists, followed by China with 109,892 visitors.

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).

The highest monthly tourist arrivals were recorded in Kartik (October–November), when 124,829 foreign visitors entered Nepal. This was followed by Chaitra (March–April) with 119,390 arrivals, Falgun (February–March) with 114,152, and Asoj (September–October) with 111,780 tourists.

To strengthen inbound tourism, the Nepal Tourism Board intensified promotional activities in its two closest and largest source markets—India and China. During FY 2025/26, the Board organized more than 12 promotional events in major Indian cities, including Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi. Overall, it conducted over 40 international tourism promotion programs across global markets.

In the final three months of the fiscal year, the Board also organized cross-border tourism marts and fairs across Nepal’s southern plains, from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west, to support tourism infrastructure investments in areas bordering India. According to the NTB, these initiatives contributed to a significant increase in the number of tourists entering Nepal through land border crossings.

Hikmat Singh Air, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board, said Nepal’s tourism sector has witnessed encouraging growth due to international promotional campaigns, improved air connectivity, and stronger collaboration with the private sector. He added that the latest tourist arrival figures indicate the country’s tourism industry is moving beyond post-pandemic recovery toward sustainable long-term growth.