Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2026–2030

Nepal aims to transform into a consistent international hub by unifying tourism, trade logistics, and connectivity under a coordinated national framework. An inter-ministerial task force supervised by the Prime Minister's Office is proposed to address institutional coordination and expand air connectivity beyond Kathmandu.

Direct foreign investment commitments exceeded Rs 47 billion in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2082/083, with approvals for 914 projects expected to generate 25,450 jobs. Agriculture, IT, and tourism sectors received significant investments.

Nepal Development Watch praised reform efforts in Nepal's 2026/27 Rs 2.12 trillion budget but warned of a Rs 0.8 trillion financing gap and limited focus on social inclusion, questioning implementation prospects.

Nepal announced plans to become a leading international destination for wellness tourism, leveraging its natural environment and promoting practices like yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda as part of the Wellness Decade.

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is scheduled to visit China from June 14 to 17 for bilateral talks, an investment conference, and meetings with Chinese officials and the Nepali community to promote foreign investment and cooperation.

A Rs 2 billion Wyndham Resort and Convention Centre is under construction in Itahari, targeting up to 4,000 guests and aiming to transform eastern Nepal into a regional hub for tourism, conferences, and destination weddings.

Helambu Rural Municipality held a high-altitude meeting at 4,200 meters to address climate change impacts on the Himalayas, stressing domestic tourism promotion, glacier conservation, and sustainable development for mountain communities.

Nepal marked World Environment Day 2026 emphasizing climate-resilient and nature-friendly development, with government leaders highlighting commitments to clean energy, tree plantation, and climate adaptation.

Nepal and China held their third joint meeting to review ongoing and stalled infrastructure projects including Kathmandu Ring Road, a cross-border 220 KV power line, and urban developments, planning to accelerate implementation and finalize studies by June 2024. China committed Rs11 billion in grant support for the Kathmandu Ring Road widening project to enhance connectivity.

Nepal received a record 40,782 Indian visitors by air in May 2026, a 32.66% increase year-on-year driven by enhanced connectivity and policy changes. The revival and expanded quota for the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage also contributed to the surge in Indian arrivals.

The sixth Himalayan Travel Mart commenced in Lalitpur, hosting over 100 international delegates from 27 countries. The event focused on promoting Nepal as a premier travel destination and advancing sustainable, inclusive, community-friendly tourism development.

Nepal integrated yoga and meditation promotion into government policies and wellness initiatives to establish itself as a global spiritual and wellness destination. Public health programs like Virat Chakra Science aim to mainstream these practices nationwide.

United States Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B Rogers delivered the keynote address at The Ascent Summit 2026 in Kathmandu, emphasizing US-Nepal cooperation in adventure tourism and innovation. The summit gathered over 1,400 participants including climbers, innovators, and tourism stakeholders, highlighting international collaboration in sustainable and adventure tourism.

Nepal welcomed 102,626 international visitors in May 2026, a 19% increase year-on-year and 31% above May 2019 pre-pandemic levels, with India as the largest source market contributing nearly 40% of arrivals.

Nepal aims to develop sustainable tourism benefiting local communities and preserving cultural heritage, integrating indigenous culture deeply into the sector. New hotels are expected to meet environmental standards, employ locals, and use local products to promote sustainable development.

A four-day holiday period significantly increased visitors across major Nepalese destinations, with domestic tourists and regional Indian travelers filling hotels to capacity in areas including Chitwan, Pokhara, Palpa, and Bardiya. Hill stations saw particularly high occupancy due to cooler weather.

The 73rd Sagarmatha Day was commemorated in Seoul to promote Nepal's natural beauty and sustainable mountain tourism, with officials highlighting climate change challenges in the Himalayas and calling for international cooperation.

The Nepal government allocated Rs7.34 billion for culture and tourism and Rs2.93 billion for civil aviation development in the 2026-27 fiscal year to support sustainable tourism and aviation reforms, including promotion of wellness tourism and preparations for Tourism Year 2028-29 and Nepal Wellness Year 2027. Concurrently, plans were announced to remove Nepal from the EU air safety list by mid-January 2027 through regulatory reforms.

A $30,000 award was established to recognize contributions to Nepal’s mountaineering sector and Himalayan communities, split into three $10,000 categories, marking the largest prize in Nepal’s alpine history. The award was jointly created by Everest Alliance Nepal and China's GoNature Outdoor Sports Group Co Limited.

Nepal announced plans to promote wellness tourism internationally by developing luxury resorts, yoga centers, and spiritual tourism tied to Himalayan cultural experiences. Financial incentives will support resort construction, and aviation reforms aim to improve Nepal's EU safety status.

Thirteen people, including nine foreign tourists, died from high altitude sickness in Mustang as of late May while visiting religious sites, underscoring health risks associated with high-altitude tourism.

China set a cap of 24,000 Indian pilgrims allowed to travel to Kailash Mansarovar via Nepal for the 2026 season amid demand exceeding 40,000. Nepali tour operators requested an additional 15,000 quota with positive responses from Chinese authorities.

Nepal's tourism sector grew by 1.3% in foreign tourist arrivals in 2025 with the average length of stay increasing from 13.30 to 16.34 days. However, average daily tourist spending declined to 33.08 US dollars, with a long-term government goal to raise it to 125 dollars within ten years.

Nepal Tourism Board and UNDP launched a five-year sustainable tourism strategy for 2026–2030, aiming to shift from volume-based to value-based tourism by diversifying into adventure, culture, spirituality, wellness, and nature sectors. The plan was developed with input from 135 stakeholders and included comprehensive market and consumer analyses by a global consulting firm.

Nepal’s Embassy in New Delhi invited Indian social media influencers for a tourism familiarisation trip to counter misleading narratives and leverage the opportunity presented by Indian Prime Minister Modi's call to reduce overseas travel, promoting visa-free and Indian currency-based Nepal tourism.

The Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi invited Indian social media influencers and vloggers for a familiarisation trip to promote Nepal's tourism through digital content focused on natural beauty and cultural heritage. Five India-based or Indian national content creators will be selected to showcase tourism opportunities.