Nepal's Tourism Sector Struggles to Reach Pre-Pandemic Levels, Says Tourism Board CEO
Summary
Nepal's tourism sector is still recovering from the pandemic and faces challenges including natural disasters and geopolitical tensions affecting arrivals and costs. Investment in hotels and luxury accommodations is growing, while there is a call to diversify tourism destinations and improve infrastructure and services to enhance visitor experience.
Key Points
- Nepal's tourism recovery lags behind global growth, with a 2 percent lower arrival rate than pre-pandemic levels in 2025.
- Investment in hotels and resorts has increased, including expansion of five-star and international chain hotels since the pandemic.
- Challenges such as natural disasters, the Gen-Z movement, and tensions in West Asia have impacted tourist arrivals and sector costs.
- There is a need to diversify and brand new tourist areas beyond traditional destinations and to improve infrastructure, services, and crisis coordination for tourists.
