POKHARA, May 8: A total of 152,486 foreign tourists visited the Annapurna Conservation Area during the first four months of 2026, with visitors from SAARC countries accounting for the overwhelming majority.
According to data from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 104,227 visitors — around 68 percent of the total arrivals between January and April — came from SAARC member states, while the remaining 48,259 tourists were from other countries.
In recent years, tourists from South Asian countries have increasingly dominated visitor numbers in the Annapurna region. Among them, Indian visitors constitute the largest share, mainly because thousands travel to the sacred Muktinath Temple for pilgrimage. Pilgrims heading to Muktinath are also included in Annapurna visitor statistics.
However, ACAP officials say the trend is no longer limited to religious tourism. An increasing number of travelers from other SAARC countries are now visiting the region specifically for trekking and adventure tourism.
ACAP Chief Rabin Kadariya said the rise in Indian religious tourism has naturally increased the number of SAARC visitors, but noted that trekking-focused tourists from countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are also growing steadily.
“The increase in Indian pilgrims has naturally boosted the share of SAARC tourists,” Kadariya said. “But recently we have also seen more visitors from South Asian countries arriving for trekking and outdoor activities, not only for religious purposes.”
Annapurna region receives over 30,000 tourists in March
According to him, countries like India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka consistently rank among Nepal’s top source markets for tourism arrivals.
Kadariya also said arrivals from non-SAARC countries have increasingly been affected by various global factors in recent years. He noted that tensions in the Middle East this season had directly impacted international tourist arrivals to Nepal, particularly from Europe and other long-haul markets.
“This year’s peak tourism season was also affected by instability in the Middle East,” he said. “However, there was no significant impact on arrivals from SAARC countries.”
Data from ACAP shows that in 2025, a total of 299,831 tourists visited the Annapurna region. Of them, 122,203 visitors — about 41 percent — were from third countries, while 177,628 visitors, or 59 percent, came from SAARC nations.
“The situation before and after the COVID-19 pandemic has completely reversed,” Kadariya explained. “Before the pandemic, visitors from Europe, America and other third countries dominated the Annapurna region, while SAARC tourists were comparatively fewer. Now SAARC visitors make up the larger share, while arrivals from third countries have weakened.”
He added that tourists from South Asian countries have maintained dominance in the Annapurna region since 2020.
In April 2026 alone, the Annapurna area welcomed 62,872 tourists, compared to 44,763 visitors during the same month last year, reflecting a sharp increase in overall arrivals.
Kadariya said recent efforts by the government to improve trekking-related facilities and ease travel procedures are expected to further increase the number of visitors from neighboring South Asian countries in the coming years.
According to ACAP records, 16,554 SAARC tourists visited the Annapurna region in January 2026, while visitors from third countries numbered 3,507 during the same month.
In February, the region recorded 21,040 visitors, including 12,338 from SAARC countries and 8,602 from other nations.
Similarly, in March, out of 48,513 total visitors, 32,020 were from SAARC countries, while 16,493 came from non-SAARC nations.
Senior Director at Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province, Maniraj Lamichhane, also said geopolitical tensions in the Middle East had affected tourist arrivals from Europe and the United States.
“Travel movement among South Asian countries is comparatively easier,” Lamichhane said. “Indian tourists can even arrive by land routes, which has helped increase the flow of SAARC visitors.”
He estimated that arrivals from third countries declined by at least 10 percent this season because of the Middle East crisis, adding that tourist arrivals in April alone had dropped by around seven percent compared to expectations.
Lamichhane said Nepal’s tourism industry could benefit significantly if the country strengthens tourism promotion efforts in South Asian markets.
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