Nepal’s once-thriving tourism sector is facing its darkest hour since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Himalayan nation, renowned for its majestic peaks and spiritual sites, has seen tourist arrivals stagnate well below pre-2019 levels. With parliamentary elections looming on March 5, major political parties are stepping up, making bold promises to resuscitate the industry that once fueled a significant portion of the economy.
Media reports highlight a grim reality: for the past three years, Nepal has welcomed just over one million visitors annually, a far cry from the 1.2 million who flocked in 2019. Industry experts point to frequent plane crashes, dilapidated highways, and lackluster global marketing as primary culprits. Stakeholders are urging immediate action to restore confidence.
All four major parties have placed tourism front and center in their election manifestos. They commit to overhauling aviation safety, securing more air routes with India through diplomacy, and ambitiously aiming to double tourist numbers and spending within five years. A common pledge across platforms is removing Nepal from the European Commission’s air safety blacklist and expanding international flights from two new airports.
CPN-UML, led by former Prime Minister KP Oli, prioritizes infrastructure upgrades, aggressive marketing, expanded air services, bolstered internal security, and opening new destinations, all under the banner of ‘tourist safety first.’ Nepali Congress emphasizes wellness and spiritual tourism, while the Maoist-led party vows technical fixes for national and private airlines alongside legal battles to exit the EU safety list.
The newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) echoes the doubling goal with policy and technical reforms. Recent data from the Nepal Tourism Board shows 2025 air arrivals at 1,158,459, up slightly from 1,147,548 in 2024 but still shy of pre-pandemic peaks. Indians, comprising 25-30% of visitors, numbered 292,438 last year—a dip of 8%—though January 2026 saw a 30% surge, signaling renewed interest.
India remains Nepal’s top source market, hitting 35.2% share in 2025. Other key contributors include the US (112,316), China (58,684), UK (57,545), and Bangladesh (49,357). Despite past disruptions like the 2024 Jen-Gyi protests that toppled Oli’s government and claimed 77 lives, tourism CEO Deepak Raj Joshi notes a 1% global uptick in 2025 arrivals. As elections approach, these vows could mark a turning point for Nepal’s tourism revival.