NTB Declares Nepal-ASEAN Tourism Year 2026, Eyes Southeast Asian Market

With East and Southeast Asia emerging as important source markets for Nepal’s tourism, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has announced Nepal–ASEAN Tourism Year 2026, unveiling plans to run targeted promotional campaigns across the region.

The board, which has long focused its marketing efforts on India, China and Western countries, made the announcement in late December while marking its 27th anniversary. Tourists from eight ASEAN member states currently visit Nepal, according to the board.

NTB data show that more than 109,000 tourists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia visited Nepal in 2025. However, arrivals from the region have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, before Covid-19 disrupted global travel, Nepal had received more than 125,000 visitors from ASEAN countries.

Although tourist arrivals declined sharply after the pandemic, the numbers have been gradually recovering in recent years. NTB officials see strong long-term potential in the Southeast Asian market.

NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi said ASEAN represents a large and sustainable source market for Nepal. “NTB will promote Nepal in the ASEAN region through Buddhist and spiritual tourism, nature and adventure tourism, wellness and Ayurveda, as well as culture- and community-based tourism,” Joshi said.

The board said it will design promotional campaigns, tourism activities and destination branding initiatives in ASEAN countries during the tourism year, with the goal of increasing visitor numbers. Although Southeast Asia itself is a major tourism destination, officials note that rising incomes and economic growth in the region have led to a surge in outbound travel.

A report by Trips.com shows that large numbers of tourists from Thailand and Singapore travelled to China in the first half of 2025, reflecting growing outbound tourism trends. The World Economic Forum has projected ASEAN to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030.

However, some tour and travel entrepreneurs remain sceptical about prioritising the ASEAN market. Ashok Pokhrel, managing director of Shangrila Tours Pvt Ltd, said Nepal would attract more tourists by focusing on neighbouring India rather than Southeast Asia.

“Nepal has still not clearly prioritised its tourism source markets,” Pokhrel said. “Tourism is about revenue generation, so strategies should target markets that bring higher-spending visitors. Data do not yet support the idea that ASEAN tourists will come in large or meaningful numbers.” He argued that small tourist inflows do not significantly impact the economy and stressed the need to attract larger and higher-spending markets.

In contrast, Suresh Nakarmi, managing director of Shakti Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd, described NTB’s ASEAN-focused strategy as positive. He said ASEAN countries represent a promising market for Nepal due to proximity, lower airfare compared to Europe, and the presence of Buddhist travellers.

“My company brings Malaysian tourists to Nepal regularly—around five to seven groups a year,” Nakarmi said. “They usually visit Kathmandu, Pokhara and Muktinath. There are also many Malaysian citizens of Indian origin who travel for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, and targeting them could be beneficial.”

Tourism entrepreneurs say Singapore and Thailand offer the greatest immediate potential among ASEAN countries. Despite good air connectivity, tourist arrivals from Malaysia remain relatively low. Nakarmi said affordable and convenient air links between Nepal and countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand create opportunities to design attractive travel packages.

Travel operators also believe that targeting Buddhist-majority countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand could help boost Nepal’s religious tourism, given Nepal’s significance as the birthplace of Lord Buddha.