Sunday, July 7, 2024 Nepal boosts travel with a new visa-free policy for India and a visa on arrival for 3 countries, including China. This move aims to surge tourism in the region. Nepal, celebrated for its mesmerizing landscapes and rich cultural heritage, offers visa-free access to Indian citizens, further encouraging tourism from its neighboring country.
During the first half of 2024, Nepal saw a notable rise in foreign tourist arrivals. According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), an impressive 583,016 international visitors arrived by air by the end of June, signaling a hopeful resurgence in the tourism industry. Positioned between China and India, Nepal is a federal democratic republic with Kathmandu as its capital and the Nepalese rupee as its currency.
The country’s geography is marked by the majestic Himalayan and Annapurna mountain ranges, with significant rivers like the Karnali and Koshi adding to its natural beauty. In 2023, Nepal reached a significant milestone by attracting one million foreign tourists, primarily from India, reflecting a strong recovery from the pandemic’s aftermath. The increase in tourist arrivals is evident when examining the numbers for June over the past years.
In June 2024 alone, Nepal saw 76,736 foreign tourists, exceeding the previous peak of 74,883 in June 2019. This highlights a significant recovery, especially when compared to the drastic fall to just 102 tourists in June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The subsequent years sh.