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Nepal's tourism industry is pivoting towards East Asian markets to offset a significant drop in Western visitors due to travel disruptions caused by the Iran war, with arrivals from the Americas and Europe declining sharply in March.

Decline in Western Tourists and Shift to Eastern Markets

Nepal's tourism industry is struggling with a sharp fall in Western visitors during the peak spring trekking season. As travel disruptions linked to the Iran war ripple through the Middle East, operators and officials are shifting their attention to Asia-Pacific markets. Arrivals from the Americas and Europe, which account for a sizable share of Nepal’s higher-spending long-haul tourism business, dropped by nearly 25% and 19%, respectively, during March compared to the same period last year.

Industry Explores New Strategies

The tourism sector is exploring new strategies to offset the losses from declining Western visitors. This is part of efforts to stabilize the tourism sector, which forms a significant part of Nepal's economy. Industry stakeholders are reportedly intensifying marketing activities and developing diverse tourism packages to attract tourists from East Asian countries.

*Source: SCMP (2026-04-14)*

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