Kathmandu, June 3: Nepal’s tourism sector continued its strong growth trajectory in May 2026, with the country welcoming 102,626 international visitor arrivals (IVAs), according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
The latest figures represent a 19 percent increase compared to May 2025, when 86,216 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Tourist arrivals in May this year were also 31 percent higher than the pre-pandemic level of May 2019, when the country recorded 78,329 international visitors.
With the latest arrivals, the total number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal in the first five months of 2026 has reached 529,090.
Monthly arrival figures show a consistent upward trend, with 92,573 tourists arriving in January, 105,441 in February, 120,516 in March, 107,934 in April, and 102,626 in May. India continued to be Nepal’s largest source market, accounting for 40,782 visitors, or 39.74 percent of total arrivals in May. China remained the second-largest source country with 11,514 visitors (11.22 percent), followed by the United States with 9,001 arrivals (8.77 percent).
Other major source markets included:
- Bangladesh: 5,298 visitors (5.16%)
- United Kingdom: 3,375 visitors (3.29%)
- Australia: 2,870 visitors
- Malaysia: 2,857 visitors
- Japan: 1,756 visitors
- Russia: 1,550 visitors
- Germany: 1,548 visitors
Regionally, countries from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remained the largest contributors to Nepal’s inbound tourism, accounting for 48,461 visitors, or 47.2 percent of total arrivals in May. Visitors from the rest of Asia contributed 20,462 arrivals (19.9 percent), while Europe accounted for 13,440 tourists (13.1 percent).
Tourists from the Americas represented 10.3 percent of total arrivals with 10,618 visitors, followed by Oceania with 5.5 percent (3,188 visitors). The Middle East contributed 1,511 visitors (1.5 percent), while Africa accounted for 334 tourists (0.3 percent).
The continued growth in visitor arrivals highlights Nepal’s strengthening position as a leading tourism destination in South Asia. Industry observers attribute the positive trend to improved international connectivity, increased promotional efforts, growing global interest in Nepal’s cultural and natural attractions, and the sustained momentum of post-pandemic tourism recovery.
With more than half a million international visitors already recorded in the first five months of 2026, the sector appears on track for another strong year, providing a significant boost to employment, foreign exchange earnings and the broader economy. #nepal
