Foreign tourist arrivals in Nepal rose to 88,248 in September 2026, marking a 12.1 percent increase from 78,711 visitors recorded in the same month in 2025, according to data from the Nepal Tourism Board.
Tourist Arrivals by Region
Tourists from South Asia constituted the largest regional group with 30,085 visitors, accounting for 34.9 percent of the total arrivals. India led the South Asian contingent with 17,425 visitors, followed by Sri Lanka with 7,108 tourists. Bangladesh contributed 3,964 visitors, Bhutan 1,111, and Pakistan 429 visitors.
China experienced a significant increase in arrivals, with 11,212 Chinese tourists visiting Nepal in September 2026. This represents an increase
exceeding 58 percent compared to September 2025.
Regional Variations in Tourist Arrivals
Tourist arrivals from Europe declined by 8.7 percent to 15,148 visitors. The European visitors included 3,725 from the United Kingdom, 1,974 from Germany, 1,389 from France, 1,120 from Spain, and 910 from Italy.
Visitors from Oceania totaled 5,422, with 4,842 from Australia and 580 from New Zealand, experiencing a 25.9 percent year-on-year decline. Tourist arrivals from the United States fell to 10,107 from 11,523 in September 2025.
The Middle Eastern visitor count increased by 11.9 percent to 2,606 in September 2026. African tourist arrivals also rose by 23.3 percent, totaling 424 visitors.
Context Amid Natural Disasters
These
figures show growth in tourist inflows despite Nepal facing ongoing natural disasters over the two months preceding September 2026. The increase suggests resilience in Nepal’s tourism sector during this period.
Notable Trends in Visitor Demographics
The surge in Chinese visitors represents one of the most significant changes, with arrivals increasing by more than half compared to the previous year. South Asian tourists remain the largest group, with Indian tourists leading arrivals from the region.
