POKHARA, Feb 24: Political parties contesting the upcoming election have unveiled attractive manifestos featuring ambitious and appealing plans for the tourism sector. Their goals range from doubling current tourist arrivals and increasing per-tourist spending to extending the average length of stay and raising tourism's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In its public pledge, the Nepali Congress (NC) has set a target of attracting 3 million tourists annually within the next 10 years. The party also aims to raise tourism's share of GDP to 15–20 percent, up from the current contribution of only about 5 percent. Presently, the number of foreign tourists entering Nepal by air stands at around 1.2 million per year.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 1,158,459 foreign tourists arrived in Nepal by air in 2025, compared to 1,147,548 the previous year. Historically, the highest number of tourist arrivals was recorded in 2019, when 1,197,191 foreign visitors entered the country.
Beyond numbers, the NC manifesto promotes the slogan "Arogya Nepal," envisioning the country as a global destination for peace, meditation, and wellness. It proposes introducing wellness and digital nomad visas for foreign visitors. The party also pledges to operate community and urban homestay programs to allow tourists to directly experience Nepali civilization and lifestyle.
To make Nepal more affordable and attractive, the party has proposed reducing airport operation, landing, parking, and aviation fuel surcharges. It also plans to minimize aircraft holding times in the skies and initiate efforts to remove Nepal from the European Union's aviation safety list.
Election Manifestos and Reformation of Government and Electoral...
The manifesto further promises high-level diplomatic initiatives to operate the international airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa at full capacity and to establish direct air links with major global cities. Currently, regular international flights from these airports are not in operation. Even three years after their inauguration, both airports have faced criticism for failing to consistently contribute to international air traffic.
Similarly, the manifesto of the CPN-UML pledges to increase foreign tourist arrivals and extend their length of stay. Through tourism infrastructure development, market promotion, expansion of air services, strengthening internal security, and developing new destinations, the party claims it will double tourist arrivals within five years—potentially reaching 2.4 million foreign tourists based on current figures.
During the lingering effects of COVID-19, 2021 recorded the longest average stay of foreign visitors in Nepal at 15.5 days—the highest since the government began tracking such data. In 2020, the average stay was 15.1 days.
However, after 2022, the average length of stay began to decline. In 2022, foreign visitors stayed an average of 13.1 days. The figures were 13.2 days in 2023 and 13.3 days in 2024. In the post-pandemic years, the duration of stay has remained nearly constant. Tourism entrepreneurs argue that the failure to extend visitor stays has limited potential gains, emphasizing the need for attractive programs to increase the length of stay.
The UML manifesto also highlights aggressive promotion of Nepal's diverse tourism destinations, regions, and experiences through social media, international travel bloggers, influencers, documentaries, and films, while ensuring active participation from the Nepali diaspora.
Meanwhile, the manifesto of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) pledges to double both tourist arrivals and per capita spending within five years, while implementing policies to extend the average stay. Government data show that foreign tourists visiting Nepal spend an average of USD 41 per day—USD 41 in 2023 compared to USD 40.5 in 2022. Tourism entrepreneurs have repeatedly stressed that this spending level is low and that expanding tourism activities could boost visitors' spending capacity.
However, daily spending by foreign tourists visiting Gandaki Province is higher than the national average. A special study by the research unit of the Pokhara office of Nepal Rastra Bank found that foreign tourists in Gandaki Province spend between USD 54 and USD 89 per day on average, with a weighted average of USD 62.89. Package tourists spend an average of USD 89.31 per day, while independent travelers spend an average of USD 54.32 per day.
Although parties have included tourism in their manifestos this time, stakeholders say the sector has historically received little priority. While manifestos mention increasing tourist numbers, doubling spending and length of stay, and raising tourism's contribution to GDP, many believe these remain ambitious plans on paper.
Bharat Raj Parajuli, a central member of the Hotel Association, says, "The parties have included tourism in their manifestos—doubling arrivals, raising GDP contribution to 15–20 percent, and increasing spending capacity. They sound good from the outside. But these are all ambitious plans. That doesn't mean they cannot be achieved if pursued seriously."
He adds that Nepal competes in the international market primarily through tourism, yet successive governments have neglected the sector. "They have included it in the manifestos now, but how much real importance they give it remains to be seen. Until now, tourism was not a priority," he says, noting that clear policies could yield far greater benefits.
Mani Raj Lamichhane, head of Nepal Tourism Board’s Gandaki office, also says tourism has not received the priority it deserved. "Departments were formed, but tourism was not treated as a priority. They created departments for the sake of it," he says. "Had tourism been prioritized earlier, the sector would have gained real momentum."
During elections, parties appear to prioritize tourism. "We never saw genuine commitment to tourism. Even in power-sharing politics, no one eagerly chose the Tourism Ministry. It was treated as a weak ministry," he says. "Political parties never truly recognized tourism's contribution to the national economy."
To fulfill the promises in the manifestos, he stresses the need for diplomatic efforts to fully operate the international airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa. "Only if these airports function at full capacity can some tourism targets be achieved easily; otherwise, it won't be simple," he says. "The parties have not clearly outlined how they will meet these goals. The problems are known, but action has been lacking. Once in power, there has been little follow-through. If there is genuine commitment, achieving what is mentioned in the manifestos is not impossible."
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