KATHMANDU, April 2: Nepal welcomed a total of 121,687 tourists in March, which was 5.1 percent less compared to the same period last year, attributed mainly to the impacts of the increase in road accidents, surged airfares and 10-hour closure of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
The records with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) show that the number of visitors stood at 128,171 in March 2023.
According to the NTB, the country’s tourism business started to slump since the previous month. In February, the year-on-year tourist arrivals dropped by 0.6 percent to 96,880 individuals. It was the first time since the post-Covid recovery period that the Himalayan nation witnessed a decline in tourist inflows.
Tourist count begins after 10 months
The latest decline in tourist arrivals during the start of the tourism season is likely to hit the reviving hospitality business of the country. Large number of tourists bound for trekking, sightseeing and mountaineering visit the country in the spring season that extends from March to May and in the autumn season between September and November every year.
Tourism entrepreneurs say that the decline in tourist arrivals in the review period was mainly due to the abnormal surge in airline ticket fares triggered by the closure of the Tribhuvan International Airport for 10 hours daily.
“In addition, the issues of concerns due to surged road accidents and persisting poor air safety have also adversely affected the potential travelers,” said Binayak Shah, president of the Hotel Association Nepal.
According to the entrepreneurs, the recent political turmoil due to the pro-monarchy activists has also led to a decline in tourist arrivals last month. Two individuals died in the protests that took place in Kathmandu last week.
In March, visitors from South Asian countries including India declined 13.4 percent to 35,287. Likewise, European tourists also declined 10.5 percent.
In the review month, Nepal welcomed 21,412 tourists from India, 11,443 tourists from China, 11,092 tourists from the US, 8,886 tourists from Sri Lanka and 5,995 tourists from the UK. In the first three months of 2025, a total of 298,500 tourists visited Nepal, according to the government’s record.
