KATHMANDU, May 29: The average daily spending of tourists in Nepal has declined by 19 percent, according to the government’s latest Economic Survey.
The report shows that tourists who spent an average of USD 40.84 per day in the previous fiscal year reduced their expenditure to USD 33.08 this year. Despite the decline in spending, tourist arrivals rose by 1.3 percent to 1,162,365.
Kumar Mani Thapaliya, Chairman of the National Tourism Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal, voiced concern that reduced spending could undermine Nepal’s ambition of achieving prosperity through tourism. “Visitors are unable to spend freely on recreation, shopping, drinks, and sightseeing because of rising travel costs. We have not created an environment for them to spend lavishly, and as a result, they have become frugal,” he said.
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Thapaliya stressed the need for luxury tourism packages, improved travel routes, and artistic infrastructure to encourage higher spending. The survey noted that 60.2 percent of foreign tourists engage in leisure and recreational activities, while pilgrims make up 14.4 percent of arrivals, trekkers 14.2 percent, and another 11.2 percent visit for business, education, or research.
On a positive note, the average length of stay per tourist increased from 13.30 days in 2024 to 16.34 days in 2025. India remained the largest source of visitors, contributing more than 200,000 tourists, followed by the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Bangladesh.
Tourism revenue reached Rs 83.39 billion last year. However, Sahadev Dhamala, Vice-chairman of the Thamel Tourism Development Council, highlighted shortcomings in the availability of quality goods. “The state should invest in better services and produce quality shopping items for foreign visitors,” he suggested.
The Department of Immigration has introduced the Central Electronic Tourism Management Information System (CeTMIS), which automatically records tourist arrivals and departures, ensuring more accurate data collection.
