POKHARA, May 13: The government has introduced a policy prioritising promotion of tourism in international markets as it prepares for the “Visit Nepal 2085” campaign. The policies and programs presented by the government include plans for international-level promotion aimed at increasing foreign tourist arrivals to Nepal, boosting per-tourist spending and extending the average duration of stay of visitors.
Although the government has unveiled the “Visit Nepal” plan through its policies and programs, stakeholders say implementing those plans will not be easy. The average length of stay of foreign tourists in Nepal has been declining, while attracting high-spending tourists remains challenging. Tourism entrepreneurs have long argued that Nepal has been unable to attract high-value visitors due to limited access to international air services.
Maniraj Lamichhane, chief of the Pokhara office of Nepal Tourism Board, says it is possible to increase tourist arrivals but increasing the duration of stay is challenging because visitors nowadays prefer to travel to many destinations within a short period.
“Since tourists want to cover multiple destinations in less time, extending their stay is not easy.” According to him, the number of tourists staying for longer durations has been declining globally in recent years.
During the period when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were still present, Nepal recorded its highest average tourist stay in 2021. That year, foreign visitors spent an average of 15.5 days in Nepal, the highest since the government began keeping records of tourists’ length of stay. In the previous year, 2020, foreign tourists had stayed in Nepal for an average of 15.1 days.
However, after 2022, the average duration of stay of foreign tourists visiting Nepal began to decline. In 2022, foreign tourists stayed an average of 13.1 days. The figure was 13.2 days in 2023 and 13.3 days in 2024. The average stay duration has remained almost unchanged over the past three years following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to government data. Tourism entrepreneurs say the sector has failed to reap expected benefits due to the inability to extend tourists’ stays.
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Lamichhane said, “The duration of tourist stays has not increased. As a result, the tourism sector has not been able to gain sufficient benefits.” According to him, the average stay increased during the COVID-19 period because Nepal attracted visitors engaged in adventure tourism activities. Trekking and mountaineering tourists naturally stay longer. During the pandemic years, fewer visitors came for leisure travel and religious purposes.
According to Lamichhane, around 63 percent of tourists visiting Nepal stay for an average of five days. These are mostly tourists visiting major urban destinations. Short-term tourists usually travel around Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan before returning. Around 13 percent of visitors come to Nepal for religious purposes, and such tourists generally stay for no more than seven days.
Trekking and mountaineering tourists tend to stay longer. Lamichhane said around 24 percent of tourists are involved in trekking and mountaineering activities. Such visitors stay in Nepal for at least 10 days. He added that mountaineering tourists are the ones who spend the longest time in the country.
The spending capacity of tourists has also remained weak. According to government statistics, foreign tourists visiting Nepal spend an average of US dollars 41 per day. Data from the Ministry of Tourism show that foreign tourists spent an average of USD 41 daily in 2023. The figure was USD 40.5 in 2022. Tourism entrepreneurs have repeatedly stressed that the spending amount by foreign tourists remains low and that Nepal needs to expand tourism activities to increase visitor spending.
“Even if we cannot increase the duration of stay, we can increase tourists’ spending capacity. If we attract premium tourists, their spending level will naturally be higher,” Lamichhane said. “We must attract tourists by offering better packages. The focus should be on bringing in visitors from countries with higher spending potential.” He also said unhealthy competition among tourism businesses should be discouraged because such competition weakens tourists’ spending capacity.
“Nepal has not been able to effectively market itself in major tourist source markets. We also need to reach high-end Indian tourists. The tourists coming so far are mostly budget travellers,” he said. “If Nepal can attract premium tourists from American and European markets, it will be easier to achieve the targets set by the government.”
He said Nepal also lacks adequate facilities to encourage tourists to spend more. Even international airports are unable to accommodate larger aircraft, discouraging high-spending travellers seeking comfortable journeys. According to him, if bigger aircraft than those currently operating could fly into Nepal, it would help attract more luxury travellers. He also pointed out that the number of five-star hotels remains limited. Pokhara currently has only one operational five-star hotel.
“There are hardly any high-quality tourists. Even if tourists want to spend, Nepal lacks enough places for them to do so,” Lamichhane said. “To attract premium tourists, Nepal needs direct air connectivity to destinations farther away than at present. Travelling to Nepal is currently expensive and inconvenient.”
The government’s “Visit Nepal” campaign also includes plans to expand aviation infrastructure, fully operate and modernise international airports and develop reliable and competitive air services. The government has announced plans for structural reforms in the civil aviation sector, expanded private sector participation and implementation of international safety standards. It has also pledged diplomatic efforts to attract additional international airlines to Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport.
The government has also adopted a policy to launch a national “Devbhumi Nepal” campaign aimed at establishing Nepal as a global spiritual tourism destination. The policy also aims to connect community-run homestays, local arts, culture and traditions with tourism while promoting employment and income generation among marginalised and Dalit communities. Under the “Nepal Homestay” branding initiative, at least 5,000 new homestays will be linked to booking platforms under the concept of a “living museum.”
The government has also prioritised adventure tourism infrastructure such as mountaineering, trekking, rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping and skydiving to develop Nepal as an attractive destination for adventure tourism. The policy further aims to strengthen international promotion and develop a new tourism ecosystem based on nature, culture and local communities. The government also plans to identify and promote at least 10 new trekking routes across the Himalayan, mid-hill and Tarai regions.
Tourism entrepreneurs, however, say Nepal must improve access to international tourism markets to make the government’s plans successful. Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal Gandaki’s former chairman Dharmaraj Panthi said, “If Nepal had its own national flag carrier and expanded direct access to Europe, there would be no problem bringing tourists. That would not only increase tourist arrivals but also help attract high-spending visitors.” He said that weak international connectivity has so far limited both tourist spending and visitor growth.
