Kathmandu [Nepal], October 2 – Nepal recorded a 12.1% year-on-year increase in international visitor arrivals in September, despite floods and landslides across parts of the country raising concerns over the autumn tourism season.
Nepal received 88,248 international visitors in September 2026, up from 78,711 in the same month last year, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.
Arrivals also increased from August, when 85,444 international visitors entered the country.
The September figure, however, remained below the 96,302 visitors recorded in September 2024 and was about 95% of the pre-pandemic level recorded in September 2019, when Nepal received 92,604 international visitors.
The rise came despite reports of foreign nationals missing in disaster-affected areas and travel advisories issued by some countries following the floods and landslides.
Nepal received 865,920 international visitors in the first nine months of 2026.
Arrivals peaked at 120,516 in March, followed by 107,934 in April and 102,626 in May. The number fell to 91,363 in June and 71,775 in July before recovering to 85,444 in August and 88,248 in September.
India remained Nepal’s largest source of international visitors in September with 17,425 arrivals, accounting for 19.75% of the total.
China was the second-largest source market with 11,212 visitors or 12.71% followed by the United States with 8,299 visitors or 9.4%.
Sri Lanka ranked fourth with 7,108 visitors while Australia was fifth with 4,842.
Bangladesh accounted for 3,964 arrivals, followed by the United Kingdom with 3,725, Japan with 2,066, Germany with 1,974 and Israel with 1,957.
South Asian countries covered by SAARC accounted for the largest regional share with 30,085 visitors or 34.1% of total arrivals.
Other Asian markets contributed 19,888 visitors or 22.5% while Europe accounted for 15,148 or 17.2%.
Visitors from the Americas made up 11.5% of arrivals followed by Oceania at 6.1%, the Middle East at 3%, Africa at 0.5% and other markets at 5.2%.
