Nepal's Tourist Boom Stalls as West Asia Crisis Hits Western Arrivals

The conflict has been ongoing since February 28, when the US and Israel launched a military attack on Iran. Its fallout is being felt across the world, with travel restrictions and rising prices affecting the entire global economy.

Usually, Nepal sees a sharp rise in foreign tourist arrivals in March, April, and May - the peak tourist season - as the number of visitors coming for Himalayan climbing increases. A large number of Indian tourists also visit Nepal to escape the hot weather, as the country offers relatively cooler temperatures in summer.

Although Nepal recorded a sharp rise in tourist arrivals from South Asia, other Asian regions, and Oceania, arrivals from other regions plunged, as many travellers use West Asia as a transit route to Nepal, where the war is ongoing.

The NTB said in a statement that tourist arrivals from West Asia fell by 37.1 per cent to 1,718, while arrivals from the Americas declined by 25.4 per cent to 10,374. Arrivals from Africa dropped by 22.2 per cent to 5,958 and those from Europe decreased by 18.9 per cent to 20,876 in March 2026 on a year-on-year basis. As a result, overall foreign tourist arrivals in March decreased by one per cent to 120,516.

During the month, arrivals from South Asia grew by 20.9 per cent to 42,668, with India leading the way at 25,728 visitors. India is the largest source market for Nepal's tourism. A total of 10,759 tourists arrived from Sri Lanka and 4,676 from Bangladesh. The high number of visitors from India indicates that religious, cultural, and short-duration travel trends remain strong, the NTB said.

Similarly, the number of tourists arriving from other Asian countries has also been encouraging. Nepal received 11,220 tourists from China, 6,020 from Myanmar, and 3,897 from Thailand. There were also notable arrivals from Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea. Overall, 33,436 tourists visited Nepal from the 'other Asia' region, accounting for about 27.7 per cent of total arrivals.

Chief Executive Officer of NTB, Deepak Raj Joshi, said that despite global conflicts and disruptions to international flights, the arrival figures are not too discouraging.

"Although arrivals from Europe and the US have declined, the increase in tourists from neighboring countries, including India, is a positive sign," he said. "We have prioritized promotional programs targeting neighboring markets. At the same time, we are strengthening our presence in high-spending markets such as Europe and the US through international marts."

He, however, added that as the situation in West Asia becomes increasingly uncertain, the NTB has developed strategies to expand alternative markets with a balanced and sustainable approach.

- IANS