Over One Million tourists visit in 11 months

Dec 01, 2024, Nepal welcomed 1,055,533 tourists between January and November 2024, marking the second time in history that annual tourist arrivals surpassed the one million milestones.

According to data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Sunday, the record-breaking number has brought optimism to Nepal’s tourism sector. In November alone, the country received 114,501 visitors, contributing significantly to the total annual count.

India remained a key source market, contributing 19,915 visitors in November. However, this marked an 18.5% decline compared to the same period last year when 24,443 Indian tourists visited Nepal. Similarly, arrivals from the United States dropped by 4.2% to 10,981, while the UK sent 6,611 tourists.

Chinese tourist numbers, on the other hand, grew significantly. Nepal welcomed 9,458 visitors from China in November, a 24.5% increase compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, 4,829 tourists came from Australia, registering a 4.5% decrease. Tourists from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka numbered 5,148 and 4,395, respectively.

By region, SAARC nations accounted for 31,167 arrivals, while 24,897 came from other Asian countries. Europe contributed 26,155 visitors, and 1,488 arrived from the Middle East.

In November 2023, Nepal had received 108,630 tourists. This year’s November figures represent a 5.4% year-on-year growth.

Monthly arrivals throughout 2024 have shown steady growth, with 79,100 tourists visiting in January, 97,426 in February 128,167 in March 111,376 in April, 90,211 in May, 76,736 in June, 64,599 in July, 72,719 in August, 96,305 in September, and 124,393 in October.

The positive trend is fueling hopes for a full recovery of Nepal’s tourism sector, which has faced challenges in recent years.

By Asian Hiking Team