According to a study by the Research Unit under the Nepal Rastra Bank, Pokhara Office, the average stay of foreign tourists visiting Gandaki Province is found to be 12 days. While the total duration of their stay in Nepal averages 22 days, their stay in Gandaki is relatively shorter. The study also reveals that female tourists tend to stay longer than their male counterparts. Male tourists stay in Nepal for an average of 20 days and female tourists for 25 days. In Gandaki Province, male tourists stay for 11 days while female tourists stay for 13 days.
Tourists visiting Gandaki spend an average of USD 62.89 (NPR 8,355.29) per day. The study indicates that most tourists prefer cash transactions, with 94.93% paying by cash, 4.97% using cards, and 0.10% using mobile wallets.
In the last fiscal year, tourists from 41 countries visited Gandaki Province. The majority were from India, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. European tourists constituted the largest group at 46.25%, while South American tourists made up the smallest at 0.75%. No tourists from Africa were recorded in Gandaki Province.
Age-wise, the highest percentage of tourists (33%) were from the 31-45 age group, and the lowest (1.5%) were under 20 years old. Tourists visit Gandaki for various purposes, with 40.18% engaging in adventurous activities, the highest proportion, and 2.98% visiting for business, the lowest. Tourists aged 31-45 are most likely to participate in adventure, entertainment, and cultural activities, while those aged 46-55 are more likely to visit for religious purposes.
The report shows that 68% of tourists visited Gandaki Province for the first time last fiscal year, while 32% were repeat visitors. Among the tourists, 34.75% traveled solo, 28.75% with friends, 22.50% with family, and 14% in groups.
Manang is the top destination for foreign tourists in Gandaki, followed by Myagdi. Tourists stay the longest in Manang, averaging 18.13 days, and in Myagdi, 13.62 days. The shortest stays were in Gorkha, averaging 4.37 days, while tourists stayed in Kaski for 10.67 days and Nawalparasi East for 7 days.
Tourists in Gandaki Province reported facing language barriers, lack of tourism information, transportation issues, and security concerns. While 28.41% of tourists experienced no problems, 71.59% reported facing various issues. Transportation problems affected 23.11% of tourists, payment issues 15.34%, and language barriers 12.31%.
Foreign tourists in Gandaki spend the most on food and beverages, allocating 28.22% of their expenses to it. Accommodation costs account for 27.6%, transportation 21.7%, entertainment 12.3%, shopping 5.77%, taxes 2.24%, religious expenses 1.11%, and other expenses 1.06%.
Among last year’s visitors, 87% reported enjoying their stay in Gandaki Province, while 13% felt they needed more days to fully enjoy their visit. The report indicates that an additional 23 days would be needed for tourists to fully enjoy their stay in Gandaki Province.
