India tops Nepal’s tourist list in January despite minor decline in visitor numbers

KATHMANDU: India remains Nepal’s largest source of foreign tourists in January, but the number of visitors from the country saw a slight decline in the month, according to official data released on Monday. Of nearly 80,000 foreign tourists who visited Nepal last month, 20,485 were Indians, the Nepal tourism board (NTB) said.
This marks a 15.1 per cent decrease compared to January 2024, when 24,139 Indians arrived in the country by air.
Indian tourists primarily enter Nepal through border points, using road and vehicle routes, but NTB’s records only account for those arriving by air.
China, Nepal’s second-largest tourism market, saw a contrasting trend. In January, 8,191 Chinese tourists visited Nepal, reflecting a 12.7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
The US ranks third among Nepal’s top tourist sources. In January, 8,063 Americans visited the Himalayan nation, marking a 14.9 per cent increase from the previous year.
Other key sources of tourists included Bangladesh (5,406 visitors), Australia (4,301), South Korea (3,756), the United Kingdom (3,521), Thailand (3,219), Bhutan (2,768), and Japan (1,570), according to NTB data.