The number of American tourists in Nepal is increasing compared to that of neighboring China.
Although it was second only to India before the COVID pandemic, tourists from China, a country with a population of over a billion, are now behind Indians and Americans.
Based on the data from the last 10 months, India ranked first followed by America and China among the countries sending the highest number of tourists to Nepal. During that period, 273,000 tourists came from India, 93,000 from America, and 83,000 from China. In 2023, 319,000 Indians, 100,000 Americans, and only 60,000 Chinese visited Nepal.
America, which stands thousands of miles away from Nepal, has no direct flight to Nepal. It has a population of 340 million. On the other hand, China, which shares its border with Nepal, has a direct flight to Nepal, and has a population of 1.41 billion. But the number of American tourists visiting Nepal is larger than Chinese tourists.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, India was the leading source of tourists to Nepal, followed by China in the second position.
As the tourism returned to normal, 254,000 (21.2%) tourists came to Nepal in 2019. Similarly, 194,000 Indian tourists visited Nepal in 2018.
In 2019, 169,000 tourists came to Nepal from China, accounting for 14.2% of market share. The number of tourists who visited Nepal in 2018 was 153,000. The US was the third-largest source of tourists to Nepal in both 2018 and 2019, with approximately 91,000 and 93,000 visitors, respectively.
Currently, seven airlines are operating regular flights between Nepal and China. Cathay Pacific and Nepal Airlines operate Kathmandu-Hong Kong flights. Himalaya Airlines operates flights to Lhasa, Changsha, Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, and Qingdao. China Southern Airlines operates regular flights between Guangzhou and Kathmandu, and China Eastern Airlines operates regular flights between Kunming and Kathmandu.
Air China operates daily flights between Chengdu and Kathmandu, and Sichuan Airlines operates daily flights between Chengdu and Kathmandu, the Authority has stated.
China fourth largest source of tourists to Nepal in October
China became fourth largest source of tourists to Nepal in October. According to the records, 16,313 tourists came to Nepal from India 16,023 from America, 8,000 tourists United Kingdom and 7,775 tourists from China in October.
Similarly, 22,984 Indians visited Nepal in September. This was followed by 10,084 tourists from the US and 8,042 from China. In August, Nepal received 25,832 tourists from India, 6,614 from China and 5,614 tourists from the US.
A survey shows that about 130 million people travel abroad. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 155 million Chinese traveled abroad annually. The Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) has identified three primary reasons for the decline in Chinese tourist arrivals to Nepal.
"Airfares have risen due to the reduced number of flights, similar to the situation before the COVID-19 pandemic," said NATTA Secretary Bishnu Pandey. "The tourists also seem to have decreased due to the poor roads in Chitwan, Lumbini and Pokhara, the destinations for Chinese tourists.’
Pandey claims that Chinese tourists coming to Nepal are being diverted to Sri Lanka. ‘Sri Lanka’s tourism rehabilitation has increased by up to 300 percent,’ he said. ‘While Nepal’s destinations have become expensive, Sri Lanka’s free visas and attractive packages seem to have diverted tourists.’
"Sri Lanka's tourism industry has recovered significantly, with a 300% increase," said Pandey, "Nepal's higher costs and Sri Lanka's free visa policy and attractive packages have diverted tourists away from Nepal."
'Now we celebrate the Chinese New Year'
Ramkrishna Lamichhane, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that the number of tourists is not satisfactory and therefore needs to be increased.
Lamichhane, who is also the spokesperson for the ministry, informed that they are now planning to create a program that will accord priority to Chinese tourists. "Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Nepal-China relations," he said, "We are planning to launch tourist-targeted promotion programs to mark the Chinese Year. The tourism board will conduct programs targeting China."
Even business leaders express optimism as China has prioritized Nepal as a top tourist destination for 2025.
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