Kathmandu -Nepal welcomed 1,209,357 foreign tourists in the fiscal year 2025/26, with visitors from India making up more than a quarter of total arrivals, according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

NTB data showed that 311,531 tourists arrived from India, accounting for 25.76 per cent of total international arrivals. The United States was the second largest source market with 111,325 visitors, followed by China with 109,892.

Other major source markets included Bangladesh with 58,163 visitors, the United Kingdom with 56,649, Australia with 53,195, Sri Lanka with 43,211, Bhutan with 36,289, Myanmar with 30,737, Germany with 29,296, Thailand with 27,201, Japan with 25,762 and Malaysia with 25,640.

The highest monthly arrivals were recorded in Kartik (October to November), when 124,829 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Chaitra (March to April) followed with 119,390 arrivals, while Falgun (February to March) recorded 114,152 and Ashoj (September to October) saw 111,780 visitors.

The tourism board said it stepped up promotional campaigns in its two largest neighbouring markets, India and China. During the fiscal year, it organised more than 12 promotional events in Indian cities including Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi. Overall, it conducted more than 40 international tourism promotion programmes.

In the final three months of the fiscal year, the board also organised cross border tourism marts and fairs across Nepal's southern plains, from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west, to support tourism infrastructure investments in areas bordering India. It said the initiatives contributed to a significant rise in the number of tourists entering Nepal through land border points.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board Hikmat Singh Air said stronger international promotion, improved air connectivity and closer collaboration with the private sector had contributed to the sector's growth.

"The tourist arrival figures for fiscal year 2025/26 clearly show that Nepal's tourism industry is moving beyond post pandemic recovery towards sustainable growth. We will continue to strengthen targeted promotion in both our key source markets and emerging markets to establish Nepal as a year round destination," Air said.

He said China remained a market with significant growth potential but stressed the need to strengthen targeted promotion and business to business engagement through more effective sales missions.

"To strengthen Nepal's presence in high potential markets such as China, the United States, Australia and Bangladesh, regular international sales missions are essential. With support from the fiscal year 2026/27 budget, the Nepal Tourism Board is working with the private sector to expand these programmes," he said.

Air also said the government had declared 2027 as Nepal's Wellness Tourism Year and expressed confidence that international visitor arrivals would continue to grow during the current fiscal year.

The tourism board said it would focus on attracting higher spending visitors, encouraging longer stays and expanding Nepal's tourism promotion in both traditional and emerging international markets.