Tourist Arrival Rise with Double-Digit in 2024
The Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal witnessed a remarkable recovery when travelers arrived in 2024. Nepal welcomed 1147567 tourists in 2024, a noteworthy growth of 13.1 percent compared to the previous year. The number is almost close to the pre-pandemic COVID-19 when the country welcomed 1.197 million tourists in 2019. Tourist arrivals were almost at a standstill for 3 years from 2020 to 2022 due to the Covid pandemic. Nepal started to stand again in adventure tourism, with a recovery of tourists in 2023 after the pandemic. This year’s remarkable growth opens the doors of tourism in Nepal again despite some natural disasters of flooding, air and road accidents, and increased airfare due to the Kathmandu International Airport being closed for 10 hours to upgrade.
Highest and lowest Tourist Arrival by Month
As per the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) date, 128167 tourists entered Nepal in March 2024, which is the highest number. Similarly, 111,376 in April, 90211 in May, 96,305 in September, 124393 in October, and 114501 in November. March to May and September to November, spring and autumn seasons are the best time to visit Nepal for adventure trekking, climbing, and touring activities. In the middle of the monsoon in July, only 64599 tourists visited Nepal, the lowest number per the month-wise records.
Tourist arrival by country with double-digit growth from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and European countries.
Being a neighborhood country, India and Chain has the highest number of visitors on first and third arrivals in Nepal. The United States of America has a second position with 111216 tourists, an increase of 10.8 percent over 2023. The United Kingdom is fourth, with 57554 tourists entering Nepal in 2024. Other major European countries like Germany 29801, France 25126, Italy 14474, Spain 13968, and Netherlands 11393 had double-digit growth in arrival. The total European arrivals in 2024 reached 206,841, with regional aggregated growth of 10.4 percent.
The number of Canadian visitors to Nepal in 2024 was 16,074, 9.4 percent more than in 2023. Similarly, Australia and New Zealand registered robust arrival figures of 43,980 and 4,231, with growth of 13.4 percent and 18.4 percent, respectively.
Some Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, showed significant positive growth of 34, 42, and 38 percent, respectively.
Annapurna Region has a record number of Trekkers.
The Annapurna region, an excellent destination for trekking, welcomes a record-breaking 244045 trekkers visiting in 2024. Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) has marked this the highest number of visitors in the region. This reason showcases the unique natural beauty, biodiversity, and diverse culture. The Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake and Annapurna Sanctuary Trek are some of the major trekking routes in this Annapurna region. Furthermore, Everest Base Camp Trek in Sagarmatha National Park has attached the most number of trekkers around the globe.
