Using the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation reports, this article will hopefully give you enlightenment on the origins of the top 10 foreigners you are more likely to meet in Nepal.
And don’t forget to book your transportation here.
1) INDIA (17%)
It is without any surprise, Indians arrive at the first place of this billboard!
Obviously, one of the main reasons being the proximity factor. Nepal and India share 1,758 kilometers of land border and 7 entry points which are very easy to cross.
A cheap and short journey but also, an easy one. Thanks to the governmental administration which makes sure that Indians do not need to apply for a Visa before entering Nepal. Therefore facilitating traffic and exchanges at the border.
Finally, visiting relatives is another logical explanation for this high rate of immigration. There are approximately 6 million Nepalies currently living in on their neighbor’s soil, which is the equivalent of 20% of the Nepalis population. On the other side, 4 million Indians have decided to build a life in Nepal. It is known by all, the concept of the family is very important, if not everything, for these cultures, so naturally, visits are regularly organized.
2) CHINA (11%)
Chinese tourism has just been a constant expanding boom around the world since the government authorized it in 1991.
In 2017 more than 130 million of them took a holiday trip abroad. A 7% rise compared to 2016, and these numbers keep growing. Countries across the world have started calling it a “wave”, a tsunami expected with open arms for the profits it brings to the tourism industry.
As for Nepal, in 2017 more than 104 000 inhabitants of China dropped their bags and took out their cameras around the country (4 times more than in 2007). Once more, the proximity and the no visa policy for a one-month stay helps.
Recently, prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli visited China. After a political meeting with the Ministry of Tourism, a year-long project called Visit Nepal year 2020 was introduced in a statement and strongly supported by the Chinese government. The objective being, increasing the tourist exchange between the two countries, as much as Nepal wishes to do so with the rest of the World.
3) USA (8%)
We enter a new category of visitors, those from overseas. Occidental usually come in Nepal for the mesmerizing wild landscapes it offers and makes the most of the trekking trails. Americans send each year a lot of its bravest amateur or professional athletes seeking for adventure tourism.
You just have to take a look at the Mount Everest records, you will see a lot of Stars and Stripes flags floating in between the Nepalis prowesses. Dave Hahn accented 15 times the Everest with no sherpa, Melissa Annot 6 times. You also have more surprising profiles such as Jordan Romero who is the youngest climber to ever make it on top of the world, arriving at the peak of the highest mountain earth has to offer only aged 13.
The United States of America is one of the biggest tourist industry in the world. More than 30 million Americans travel the globe each year but still, prefer Europe capitals or sandy tropical beaches to mountains.
Holiday and pleasure are the purposes of 70% of visits to Nepal in 2015, trekking only adds up to 8%.
4) THE UNITED KINGDOM (6%)
Her Majesty the queen’s subjects also seem to have put Nepal on top of their bucket lists!
This time Nepal doesn’t share a border with this country but a History, 200 years of it to be exact. This goes back to when Nepal was apart of the Empire where the Sun never set.
Since it’s independence in 1923, the two nations have kept close contact despite the colonization past. English occupation has had a grand influence on the modern-day culture of Nepal, especially in its language. British folks will be happy to discover a few common words such as “coffee”, “Computer”, “Bye Bye”… It’s not much but it is a good start for the 51 000 annual visitors.
5) SRI LANKA (4,8%)
“The Land of Glitter”
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Nepal and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations on 1 July 1957. Relations between the two countries are marked by goodwill, mutual understanding, and cooperation.” a formal description sure, but this can only be good for tourism.
The two countries share a profound belief in Buddhism. They have found a common path to peace and exchange through pilgrimages. The most sacred destination chose by Sri Lanka’s spiritual travelers is the birthplace of Boudha in the Lumbini temple.
In order to increase the number of visitors, the two countries have signed an Air Service Agreement in 2009, leading to an effective air service connection. Noticeably, it worked, because since then the number of visitors has increased by 25%.
6) THAILAND (4%)
“The smiling country” or “The country of Free Men”
Any of these two joyful sentences is a well-given name for its inhabitants. The 40 000 Thai people who have made the most of their liberty to visit Nepal these last years have always brought the happiness marked on their faces, and no doubt it returned even brighter.
The two countries have bounded around their close cultures and shared spiritual and ethical values. Like Sri Lanka, a lot of visitors come to recollect, pray and meditate in the many old temples Nepal has to offer, and especially to visit the birthplace of Buddha.
Yet the number of arrivals significantly decreased from 2014 to 2016. This was maybe due to the 2015 earthquake mixed with the Thai political crisis that occurred around the same time. Nevermind, today these numbers have caught up was where there were left 4 years ago.
7) MYANMAR (3,5%)
We have reached the last close neighbor of this top 10.
And once more, Buddhism is the common factor as 88% of the Myanmar population practices it. No stats are available before 2016 regarding immigration. But in only one year, the number of its visitors has increased by 25%, reaching nearly 31 000.
Economical discussions have been complicated between the two countries these past years, but in November 2018 they have finally reached an agreement, a positive outcome announcing future exchanges and more proximity.
Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar illustrate why pilgrimage is the purpose for 15% of visits in Nepal, which is more than trekking (8%).
8) AUSTRALIA (3,4%)
Kangourou Land is full of adventuress souls always ready to jump on the first plane towards the unknown.
9) SOUTH KOREA (3,4%)
Busan, South Korea
“The calm morning country” what a poetic word for this small Asian republic situated the other side of China.
10) GERMANY (3,2%)
Germany is the second biggest country launching tourists around the world, approximately 70 million travelers for 80 million foreign travels. And they do not spare on expenses: 130 billion dollars spent throughout the continents. If you go out of Nepal, there are the faces you are more likely to see in your hotel, alongside the Chinese, Americans, and French.
30 000 of them visited Nepal in 2017.
OTHERS :
11- BANGLADESH (3%)
12- JAPAN (2,9%)
13- FRANCE (2,8%)
14- ESPAGNE (1,7%)
15- CANADA (1,6%)
16- NETHERLANDS (1,4%)
17- ITALIA (1,3%)
