Nepal’s tourism witnesses remarkable rebound, welcoming 476,000 tourists in the first half of 2023

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s tourism industry is experiencing a significant resurgence, with 476,000 foreign tourists visiting the country during the first half of 2023. This remarkable recovery represents an 83 percent increase compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, as reported by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the arrival of international tourists had been on a steady decline. However, the year 2023 has brought a promising reversal of this trend, showcasing a notable rebound in the tourism sector.

During the same period in 2019, a total of 536,058 foreign tourists entered Nepal. In contrast, the corresponding period saw 220,815 tourists in 2020, 580,058 tourists in 2021, and 240,911 tourists in 2022.

The number of foreign tourists arriving in Nepal in the first half of 2023 demonstrated a remarkable increase of 97.79 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, while it registered a slight decline of 16.93 percent when compared to the 2019 figures.

NTB provided a breakdown of the monthly influx of foreign tourists. In January, 55,074 visitors arrived, followed by 73,244 in February, 99,426 in March, 98,773 in April, and 77,773 in May. Additionally, June welcomed 72,250 foreign tourists to Nepal.

Notably, the June arrivals included 38,845 individuals from India, 8,470 from the United States, 4,343 from China, 2,402 from Bangladesh, 1,992 from the United Kingdom, 1,639 from Australia, 1,799 from Malaysia, 888 from South Korea, 764 from Japan, and 702 from Bhutan.

This resurgence in tourism signals hope and recovery for Nepal’s tourism industry, and the numbers indicate a positive trend as the country continues to attract visitors from around the world.