Nepal Tourism Board Data Shows September Arrivals Up 12.1% as Asian Visitors Offset Western Declines

Nepal welcomed 88,248 international tourists in September 2026, a rise of 12.1 per cent on the 78,711 recorded in the same month last year, according to figures from the Nepal Tourism Board reported by Nepal News on 1 October. The data suggests the country’s visitor mix is tilting towards neighbouring Asian markets as the autumn trekking season begins.

Asia Leads the Growth

Visitors from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries accounted for 30,085 arrivals, or about 34 per cent of the total, up 23.9 per cent year on year, according to the report. India remained the largest single source market with 17,425 visitors, roughly 19.75 per cent of arrivals. The strongest rise came from China, where arrivals more than doubled to 11,212, an increase of 114.1 per cent. Other Asian markets grew by 58 per cent overall, and arrivals from the Middle East rose 11.9 per cent, the data shows.

Western Markets Slip

The picture was weaker for long-haul markets. European arrivals fell 8.7 per cent to 15,148, with visitors from the United Kingdom down 25.2 per cent, according to the report. Arrivals from the Americas declined 12.3 per cent to 10,107, including a 14.3 per cent drop from the United States, while Oceania fell by 29 per cent. The article did not offer reasons for the declines, and the monthly figures alone do not establish a trend.

Why It Matters

Tourism is a major source of income and employment in Nepal, and the composition of visitors matters as much as the headline total. Travellers from India and China typically arrive on shorter trips and through different routes from the trekkers and mountaineers who have long been associated with Western markets, which can change demand for hotels, guides, airlines and local businesses. A rapid shift towards Asian markets may help fill hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but it could leave the sector exposed if regional flight capacity, visa policies or economic conditions change. The October and November peak will be the more telling test of whether September’s growth holds and whether Western arrivals recover.