With the onset of the monsoon season, Nepal has seen a significant drop in tourist arrivals. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, July 2024 recorded the lowest number of tourist arrivals this year, with only 64,599 visitors.
This number is a substantial decrease compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, which saw 70,916 tourists in July. The monsoon season traditionally sees fewer visitors, and this year, the situation has been exacerbated by several negative events that have affected Nepal’s image in the international market.
In recent months, two buses were swept away by the Trishuli River, and there was a plane crash, both of which received widespread negative coverage internationally. These incidents have led many potential visitors to cancel their plans to visit Nepal.
However, compared to July 2023, there has been a slight increase in tourist arrivals. Last year, 57,726 tourists visited Nepal in July, indicating some recovery despite the challenges.
Maniraj Lamichhane, Director of the Nepal Tourism Board, stated that the total tourist arrivals in the past seven months have reached approximately 650,000. From January to July 2024, a total of 647,615 tourists visited Nepal.
India remains the largest source of tourists, with 21,491 Indian visitors in July 2024, an increase from the previous year. The United States follows, with 8,868 American tourists, up from 6,214 in July 2023, showing an encouraging trend even during the monsoon season. Chinese tourists are the third largest group, with 6,819 visitors compared to 5,693 last year.
Bangladeshi tourist numbers have also risen significantly, with 3,470 visitors in July 2024, a 28% increase from the same month last year. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in Australian tourists this year.
Overall, while the monsoon season and recent incidents have impacted Nepal’s tourism, there are signs of gradual recovery and increasing interest from key markets.
