Significant Improvement in Tourist Arrivals in May, Over 102,000 Visitors Entered Nepal
News Summary
Prepared after review.
- In May 2026, 102,626 tourists arrived in Nepal, marking a 19.03% increase compared to last year.
- During this period, the highest number of tourists, 40,782, arrived from neighboring India via air travel.
- According to the Nepal Tourism Board, May saw 11,514 Chinese and 9,100 American tourists visit Nepal.
May 2, Kathmandu – Tourist arrivals in Nepal have shown a remarkable increase in May 2026.
Citing data from the Department of Immigration, the Nepal Tourism Board released a report revealing that 102,626 tourists visited Nepal during this month. This reflects a 19.03% increase compared to May 2025, when 86,216 tourists arrived.
Furthermore, the number for this May surpasses the tourist arrival figure for May 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, when 78,329 tourists entered the country.
The pre-monsoon season is characterized by heightened mountaineering and trekking activities in Nepal. Additionally, to escape summer heat, numerous Indian tourists visit Nepal to enjoy its natural beauty.
The Nepalese government counts only Indian tourists arriving by air as tourists. With a 32.66% rise in air arrivals from India, the overall tourist influx has also improved.
The Tourism Board reported that in May 2026, 40,782 Indian tourists visited Nepal, compared to 28,160 in May last year. This upsurge has positively influenced the overall statistics for SAARC countries as well.
Tourist arrivals from SAARC countries increased by 33.4% in May 2026 compared to the previous year. Bangladesh contributed 5,298 tourists, Bhutan 1,360, Pakistan 434, and Sri Lanka 580 visitors in this period. Tourists from SAARC countries accounted for 47.22% of the total visitors this May.
There was also improvement in tourist numbers from China. Records indicate 11,514 Chinese tourists visited in May 2026, up from 8,824 in May 2025. Tourist arrivals from Asian countries outside SAARC increased by 19.94%, with visitors from Indonesia (428), Japan (1,756), Malaysia (2,857), Myanmar (335), and the Philippines (604). Likewise, Singapore (446), South Korea (1,217), Vietnam (446), and Thailand (824) sent visitors during the month.
European tourists comprised 13.10% of arrivals, with the largest number from the United Kingdom at 3,375 tourists. France contributed 1,154, Germany 1,548, the Netherlands 1,278, and Russia 1,550 visitors.
Australia sent 2,070 tourists, while American countries accounted for 10.35% of arrivals, with 9,100 visitors from the United States. Compared to last year, however, American tourist numbers saw a slight decline; in May 2025, 9,074 American tourists came to Nepal.