Kathmandu: Nepal has been able to draw nearly 800 thousand foreign tourists in recent nine months. In the nine months of current year, 2023, a total of 782,372 tourists arrived in Nepal via air route, said the Nepal Tourism Board referring to the Immigration Department.
In September alone, 91,012 tourists entered Nepal. In the same period last year, only 58, 314 foreign tourists had visited Nepal. In the year, 2019, Nepal was able to bring in only 92,604 tourists. The Board has believed that number of foreign tourists would increase in the days ahead. Board Director Maniraj Lamichhane informed that the recent months recorded gradual increase in tourists’ influx. The latest record on tourist arrival is 90.28 percent of the tourist arrival before Covid-19.
The government has aimed at bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023. As per the record, most of the tourists arriving in September are from India- 28,642; which is followed by China with 8,174. Similarly, the arrival of tourists from US stands third with 7,364, while Bangladesh stands fourth with 3,716. Other tourists are from Australia, the UK, Sri Lanka, Germany, South Korea, and Israel.