Tourism by the Numbers
0.00M
International visitors in 2025 (97% of pre-COVID peak)
0 of 14
of the world's 8,000m peaks, including Everest (8,848.86 m)
0
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (10 monument zones in Kathmandu Valley alone)
NPR 0.00B
in tourism FDI commitments in the first 5 months of FY 2025/26
~0 days
average length of stay — among the longest in Asia
0.0M
annual visitors targeted under Tourism Decade 2023–2032
Source: Nepal Tourism Board / Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation.
Why Tourism, Why Now
Nepal is one of the few destinations on earth where a single trip can span an 8,000-meter peak, a living medieval city, a jungle safari, and the birthplace of the Buddha. Yet the sector remains strikingly under-capitalized: visitor arrivals have recovered to near-record levels while internationally branded hotel rooms, premium experiences, and wellness infrastructure remain scarce. That gap — surging demand meeting undersupplied product is the investment case.
The government has matched the moment: tourism is a priority sector with tax holidays and customs exemptions, hotels, resorts, amusement parks and MICE ventures qualify for the Automatic Route (instant FDI approval up to NPR 500 million), 100% foreign ownership is permitted, and repatriation of profits is guaranteed by law. India and China a combined 2.8 billion people sit on either border.
The Eight Faces of Nepali Tourism
Select a card to explore the opportunity, the assets behind it, and where investment is needed.
Market Signals
Arrivals: 1,158,459 in 2025; October and March are peak months strong shoulder-season upside remains.
Source markets: India (~292K), USA (~112K), China (~95K), UK, Bangladesh diversified across hemispheres.
Momentum: April 2025 was the best April on record (116,490 arrivals, 106.5% of pre-pandemic).
Capital is moving: 476 tourism-related FDI projects committed NPR 30.26 billion in five months of FY 2025/26.
Policy tailwind: Tourism Decade 2023–2032 targets 3.5 million annual arrivals a 3x increase from today, requiring thousands of new rooms, experiences, and services.
1,158,459
Total arrivals, 2025
116,490
Best April on record (Apr 2025)
476
Tourism FDI projects committed, FY 2025/26 (5 mo.)
Investor Advantages in Tourism
Priority Sector
Tax holidays & customs exemptions for tourism ventures.
Automatic Route
Instant FDI approval for hotels, resorts, amusement/water parks, and MICE ventures up to NPR 500 million.
100% Foreign Ownership
No upper limit on the amount of investment.
Guaranteed Repatriation
Profits, dividends & capital repatriation guaranteed by law.
Fast Approvals
FDI approval in 7 days; business visa recommendation in 2 days.
One Stop Service Centre
Handles the full company-setup chain end to end.
What's Reserved
A few tourism niches are reserved for Nepali operators: travel agencies, trekking/mountaineering guide services, and rural tourism/homestay. Foreign investors partner around these owning the lodges, infrastructure, technology and experiences that the ecosystem runs on. Setting Up a Company