KATHMANDU: Nepal welcomed more than 100,000 foreign tourists in May, marking a significant increase in international arrivals and continuing the country’s strong post-pandemic tourism recovery.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 102,626 foreign tourists visited Nepal in May, representing a 19 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
In May 2025, Nepal received 86,216 foreign visitors. The latest figure also exceeds pre-pandemic levels, as 78,329 foreign tourists visited the country in May 2019.
India remained Nepal’s largest source market during the month, with 40,782 Indian tourists arriving in the country. China ranked second with 11,514 visitors, followed by the United States with 9,001 tourists.
Other major source markets included Bangladesh, which contributed 5,298 visitors, and the United Kingdom with 3,375 arrivals.
A regional analysis of arrivals shows that visitors from SAARC countries accounted for 47.2 percent of total arrivals, followed by other Asian countries at 19.9 percent. Tourists from Europe contributed 13.1 percent, while the Americas accounted for 10.3 percent.
Meanwhile, visitors from Australia and New Zealand represented 3.1 percent, the Middle East 1.5 percent, and other regions 4.5 percent of total tourist arrivals during the month.
Tourism officials noted that ongoing conflicts in parts of West Asia have had some impact on Nepal’s tourism sector. However, growing international confidence in Nepal as a travel destination and increasing tourism activities are expected to drive further growth in visitor numbers in the coming months.
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