Kathmandu, November 4
American tourists overtook those from neighbouring India to become the largest group of visitors to Nepal in a single month.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 132,814 tourists arrived in Nepal in October 2026, and Americans ranked first among them. A total of 17,437 Americans visited Nepal this month, compared with 13,286 in October last year.
American arrivals have risen significantly this year. Indian arrivals, by contrast, have dropped sharply. This month, 12,097 Indian tourists visited Nepal, down from 17,298 in October last year. American arrivals also grew compared with September 2026, when 8,299 Americans visited Nepal.
Overall tourist arrivals in October improved by 3.4 percent. In October last year, 128,443 tourists visited Nepal, and this year’s figure is close to 133,000.
China sent 11,695 tourists this month, up from 6,755 in October last year.
The United Kingdom ranks fourth, with 9,385 British tourists arriving in October. Australia sent 9,352 and Germany 6,114.
Sri Lanka also made it into the top ten, with 5,560 tourists. Bangladesh sent 4,893, France 4,164 and Myanmar 3,025.
SAARC share falls as Indian arrivals drop
The fall in Indian arrivals in October pulled down the overall number of tourists from the SAARC region. This October, 24,053 tourists came from SAARC countries, compared with 29,060 last year.
That is a 17.2 percent decline from SAARC countries this year. Europe sent 39,877 tourists this year, compared with 15,148 last year. Arrivals from countries in the Americas stood at 21,270 this October, compared with 16,407 in the same month last year.
