Nepal’s tourism sector continues to witness a robust revival, with 76,425 international tourists arriving in June 2025, marking a 99.6% recovery compared to June 2024 and an encouraging 2.1% growth over the pre-pandemic benchmark of June 2019. The data, released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), reflects strong momentum in the country’s post-pandemic tourism recovery and underscores Nepal’s growing appeal on the global travel map.
June 2025 Arrival Figures Highlight Remarkable Comeback
The total tourist arrival for June 2025 stands at 76,425, slightly above the 76,333 recorded during the same month in 2024. More importantly, this figure surpasses the 74,883 arrivals registered in June 2019, indicating that Nepal’s tourism industry has not only recovered from the COVID-19 downturn but is now experiencing growth beyond pre-pandemic levels. The recovery rate for June 2025, compared to 2019, stands at 102.1%, a notable milestone for a sector that was once brought to a standstill.
In contrast, previous years show the steep climb the industry has made:
- June 2023: 72,250 arrivals
- June 2022: 46,957 arrivals
- June 2021: 1,187 arrivals
- June 2020: Only 102 arrivals
These figures highlight the scale of disruption caused by the pandemic and the resilience of Nepal’s tourism sector in bouncing back.
Top Source Markets Led by India, USA, and China
India continues to dominate as Nepal’s largest tourism source market, with 32,662 Indian visitors arriving in June 2025. The United States follows with 9,696 arrivals, reflecting growing interest from North American travelers. China, which once formed a substantial part of Nepal’s tourism demographic before the pandemic, secured the third spot with 6,736 arrivals, signaling a gradual rebound in Chinese outbound tourism.
The rest of the Top 10 tourist-generating countries for June 2025 include:
4. Bangladesh – 5,449
5. United Kingdom – 2,284
6. Australia – 1,831
7. Malaysia – 1,348
8. Bhutan – 1,167
9. Japan – 1,019
10. South Korea – 1,002
These numbers reflect Nepal’s appeal as a multi-interest destination, offering adventure, culture, spirituality, and nature, to travelers from diverse geographies.
Outbound Travel and Departures
While 76,425 tourists arrived in Nepal during June 2025, the departure count stood at 79,189, suggesting high tourist turnover and continuous travel flow. These figures are important indicators of tourism activity and Nepal’s connectivity with international markets, supported by increasing flight frequency and air connectivity from major Asian and Western cities.
First Half of 2025 Shows Promising Growth
The cumulative data for the first six months of 2025 shows a total of 577,689 international tourist arrivals, indicating Nepal’s strong performance in a competitive global tourism landscape. Although slightly lower than the 583,011 visitors recorded in the first half of 2024, the 2025 figure remains significantly higher than the 573,658 arrivals from the corresponding period in 2019, once again surpassing pre-pandemic records.
This growth represents a 101% recovery compared to 2019 levels and a 99% retention from the impressive figures of 2024, despite regional economic fluctuations and evolving travel trends. Experts interpret this as a sign of Nepal’s long-term potential and rising popularity, particularly in areas such as pilgrimage tourism, trekking, eco-tourism, and cultural heritage exploration.
Strategies Behind the Recovery
Tourism analysts and officials credit several strategic efforts for this continued rebound. Among them are targeted marketing campaigns in key source markets, improved visa and entry procedures, the promotion of new and traditional destinations, and strong collaboration between government agencies, private sector stakeholders, and international travel networks.
Nepal Tourism Board’s recent destination promotions such as “Lumbini and Beyond,” “Naturally Nepal,” and participation in global travel expos have helped rekindle interest in Nepal. The integration of spiritual, wellness, adventure, and sustainable tourism offerings has broadened the country’s appeal to different types of travelers.
Focus Areas Moving Forward
Tourism officials are now focusing on retaining and accelerating this momentum by diversifying products, enhancing infrastructure, and offering improved services. With the tourism industry playing a crucial role in Nepal’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing to foreign exchange earnings, sustaining growth is critical.
NTB has also signaled plans to enhance digital marketing, promote off-season travel, and expand regional connectivity to lesser-known destinations such as Karnali, Far West, and Mid-Hills. Initiatives to increase the length of stay and expenditure per tourist are also on the agenda.
A Positive Outlook for 2025 and Beyond
With the world embracing post-pandemic travel and Nepal consistently exceeding expectations, tourism authorities are optimistic about the rest of 2025. If current trends continue, Nepal is on track to achieve or even exceed its pre-pandemic annual tourist arrival targets.
The resilience demonstrated by Nepal’s tourism industry, from the lows of just 102 visitors in June 2020 to over 76,000 in June 2025, is a testament to its enduring allure, natural beauty, cultural richness, and the collective efforts of those who keep the sector alive.
As global travelers continue to seek meaningful, nature-based, and culturally immersive experiences, Nepal is emerging stronger than ever, not just as a recovery success story but as a top travel destination in South Asia.
