Indians remain largest source of tourists to Nepal in September

Kathmandu: Indians remained the largest group of foreign tourists visiting Nepal in September, with 17,425 arrivals, registering a 12 per cent increase over the corresponding month last year, according to official data released on Friday.

Overall, Nepal received 88,248 international visitors in September, according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

Tourist arrivals also increased from August, when the Himalayan nation received 85,444 international visitors, despite the Bhotekoshi floods and landslides affecting mainly central Nepal.

The disasters had raised concerns over the tourism season, particularly following reports of foreign nationals missing in affected areas and travel advisories issued by some countries.

Nepal received a total of 865,920 international visitors during the first nine months of 2026, registering a growth of six per cent over the corresponding period last year, when 815,273 tourists arrived by air, NTB data revealed.

According to the board, China was the second-largest source market with 11,212 visitors, accounting for 12.71 per cent of the total, followed by the United States with 8,299 visitors, or 9.4 per cent.

Sri Lanka ranked fourth with 7,108 visitors, accounting for 8.05 per cent, while Australia was fifth with 4,842 visitors, or 5.48 per cent.

In a related development, tourism stakeholders from Nepal and India have taken an initiative to develop a wider Buddhist and cultural circuit connecting Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, with India's northeastern states.

An agreement was reached between the Lumbini Hotel Association Nepal and the North East India Tourism Federation in Lumbini on Wednesday to expand tourism networks between Lumbini and the eight northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim.

Under the agreement, Lumbini would be developed as a transit and distribution hub for regional travel.

The proposed Buddhist circuit seeks to attract more Buddhist pilgrims and other travellers to Lumbini and encourage them to stay longer by connecting their journeys with places associated with the life of Lord Buddha, including Ramgram, Tilaurakot and Devdaha.

Travel and tour operators from both countries also underlined the need to facilitate movement through entry points and expand travel networks.

Lumbini Hotel Association Nepal chairman Lilamani Sharma said the agreement could serve as a long-term bridge to explore tourism potential between the two countries.

He said tourism stakeholders in Lumbini had joined hands with travel and tour operators from northeast India for the first time after similar engagement with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which could help expand tourist access to Lumbini.