KATHMANDU: Over 800,000 international visitors visited Nepal in the first nine months of 2024. 816,339 arrivals were registered between January and September of that year. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) claims that this rise reflects growing interest in Nepal as a travel destination.

Maniraj Lamichhane, Director of the NTB, said that overall visitor visits are up 6% over 2023 and 4% over the year before the pandemic. It is promising to see this tendency, which points to a recovery in the tourist sector for Nepal's economy.

The findings showed that there were fewer Indian visitors in September than there were in August. More specifically, September saw 22,984 fewer Indian tourists than August (25,832). The monsoon season, which usually interferes with travel plans in the area, is probably to blame for this decrease.

However, compared to August (6,614), there were 8,042 more Chinese visitors arriving in September. This growth suggests that Chinese travelers are showing more interest, which is encouraging for Nepal's faltering travel sector.

The total number of international tourists increased as a result of a notable increase in tourist arrivals from American and European nations. Travel patterns are not stable; in August 10,084 Americans arrived in Nepal, but in September the number fell to 5,000.

Arrivals of tourists from Sri Lanka also increased a little, from 4,851 in August to 4,915 in September. This steady stream of visitors from Sri Lanka indicates that travelers from South Asia continue to be interested in traveling to Nepal.

The NTB shows how the peak season affects visitor numbers; in August alone, the organization recorded 72,719 total tourist arrivals. It's interesting to see that, in September 2023, 91,012 tourists traveled to Nepal, a significant increase from the mere 58,314 that did the same in 2022.

Despite minor seasonal changes, the year-to-date numbers show that Nepal's tourist industry is on a strong trend with rising visitors from various nations. The industry has a lot of promise because of the continuous recovery in travel demand.

Strategies to improve visitor experiences and encourage sustainable tourism practices will be crucial to sustaining this rising trend in arrivals as Nepal continues to draw a wide variety of tourists.