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Nepal's Tourism Resilience: How Indian Tourists Throng Kathmandu Amid Protests

Despite significant damage to major hotels like the Hilton and Hyatt Regency during early September's Gen-Z protests, Nepal's tourism sector is showing signs of resilience. The country still managed to cross the one million foreign tourist mark by November 2025, recording a marginal increase over the previous year. Indian tourists led the charge as the largest source market, even though their numbers saw a slight dip compared to 2024. While arrivals from China continue to lag pre-pandemic levels, growth from other markets like Bangladesh and the US helped offset the declines.

Key Points: Indian Tourists Lead Nepal's Recovery After Gen-Z Protest Damage

  • Nepal welcomed over 1.06 million foreign tourists from January to November 2025
  • Tourist arrivals fell 18.3% in September after violent Gen-Z protests damaged hotels
  • India remained the largest source market with over 262,000 visitors despite a 4.6% drop
  • Arrivals from the US, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka showed significant growth during the period
2 min read

Indian tourists throng Kathmandu as Nepal tries to recover from Gen-Z protests

Despite hotel damage from Gen-Z protests, Nepal welcomed over 1 million tourists in 2025, with India as the top source market. Discover the recovery story.

"This figure represents a marginal increase compared to the same period in 2024 - Nepal Tourism Board"

Kathmandu, Dec 1

Heavy damage to several hotel properties during Gen-Z protests in early September does not appear to have dented foreign tourists' enthusiasm for visiting Nepal, as the country welcomed over one million foreign visitors by November this year.

According to statistics released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Monday, Nepal received a total of 1,060,269 foreign tourists from January to November 2025. This figure represents a marginal increase compared to the same period in 2024, when the country had welcomed 1,055,520 foreign visitors.

After the Gen-Z protests in early September, which left several hotel properties damaged, the World Bank had predicted a sharp decline in foreign tourist arrivals. Foreign-branded hotels, including the Hyatt Regency and Hilton, were severely affected during the violent protests. The Hilton was burnt to the ground, while the Hyatt remains closed for maintenance.

As a result, Nepal saw an 18.3 per cent year-on-year decline in tourist arrivals in September. However, arrivals in October and November improved marginally on a year-on-year basis, according to the NTB. In November, Nepal received 116,553 foreign tourists, a rise of 1.8 per cent, the NTB said.

India remained the largest source market during the period, with 262,345 Indian tourists visiting Nepal, followed by the United States with 105,239. China ranked third with 86,800 visitors.

The United Kingdom and Bangladesh completed the list of the top five source markets, sending 54,450 and 50,940 tourists respectively during the first 11 months of 2025.

During the period, Nepal received fewer tourists from both India and China, which hampered growth prospects. Compared to the first 11 months of 2024, Indian arrivals decreased by 4.6 per cent, while Chinese arrivals fell by 16.8 percent.

Arrivals from the United States increased marginally, while the number of Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan tourists grew significantly, according to the NTB.

Before the pandemic, China was Nepal's second-largest tourist source market after India, but arrivals from the northern neighbor have yet to fully recover, NTB data show.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The decline in Chinese tourists is quite significant. From a tourism perspective, Nepal might need to diversify its marketing beyond its traditional big two (India and China). The growth from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is a positive sign though.
R
Rohit P
Was planning a trip to Kathmandu in October but got worried after seeing news of the protests. Glad to hear things are stabilizing. Safety is the top priority for families. Maybe will plan for next year.
S
Sarah B
Interesting data. The marginal overall increase shows tourism is quite resilient. Burning down a Hilton is a major event, so the fact that numbers bounced back relatively quickly speaks volumes. Hope the local businesses that suffered are also recovering.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, while the headline focuses on Indian tourists "thronging," the article itself says Indian arrivals actually decreased by 4.6%. Shouldn't the focus be on the growth from other neighboring countries like Bangladesh? The narrative feels a bit selective.
K
Kavya N
Nepal holds a special place in our hearts. No visa needed, similar culture, and breathtaking Himalayas. 🏔️ Even with a small dip, we will always be their biggest market. Praying for peace and prosperity for our brothers and sisters there.

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