Nepal Welcomes 88,248 Tourists in September, Arrivals Rise 12.1%

Nepal recorded a 12.1 percent year-on-year increase in international tourist arrivals in September 2026, despite facing a series of natural disasters over the past two months. According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Nepal welcomed 88,248 international tourists in September, compared with 78,711 in the same month last year.

South Asian arrivals increased by 23.9 percent, rising from 24,285 last September to 30,085 this year. India remained the largest source market, with 17,425 visitors, up from 15,556 last year.

Sri Lanka recorded a significant increase, with arrivals reaching 7,108, compared with 4,616 a year earlier. Bangladesh also registered 31.5 percent growth, reaching 3,964 visitors, while Bhutan contributed 1,111 arrivals. Arrivals from other Asian countries outside the SAARC region increased by 58 percent, from 12,590 to 19,888 visitors.

China emerged as one of the strongest-performing markets in September. Nepal received 11,212 Chinese tourists, more than double the 5,237 recorded in September 2025, representing a 114.1 percent increase.

Similarly, arrivals from Japan rose by 45.4 percent, from 1,421 to 2,066 visitors. Despite strong growth from Asian markets, arrivals from Europe declined by 8.7 percent, from 16,597 to 15,148 visitors.

The number of visitors from the United Kingdom fell by 25.2 percent, from 4,981 to 3,725. Similarly, arrivals from the Americas declined from 11,523 last year to 10,107 this September. US arrivals fell from 9,679 to 8,299 visitors.

Meanwhile, arrivals from the ASEAN region declined by 25.9 percent, with 5,422 visitors recorded during the month. Nepal also recorded 11.9 percent growth in arrivals from the Middle East during September, adding to the overall increase in international visitors.