Middle East Tensions Cast Shadow on Nepal’s Tourism Sector

The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel coalition and Iran, which began on Saturday with an unprovoked attack on Iran, has led to the closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries. It remains unclear how long these restrictions will remain in place.

With the airspace of several Middle Eastern nations now closed to flight operations, Nepal's growing primary source markets—Europe and America—are expected to see a dip in tourist arrivals.

According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) office, over two dozen international flights have been canceled daily since Saturday. In a notice issued Tuesday evening, the office reported that a total of 16 flights operated by Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Nepal Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Himalaya Airlines were canceled. On Monday alone, 31 flights were grounded.

Due to the escalating conflict, the airspace of nine countries—Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Bahrain—has been shut.

A significant number of tourists from the US and European nations transit through hubs in Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qatar). With the airspace of both these countries closed, travel operators say tourists from those regions are unable to reach Nepal. Additionally, Nepal also receives tourists from seven Middle Eastern nations: Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE.

Suresh Nakarmi, Managing Director of Shakti Travel & Tours Pvt Ltd, informed that tourists from the US and Europe are currently unable to travel to Nepal. He stated that while the conflict has just begun, a prolonged crisis would have a severe impact on Nepal's tourism sector.

"Travelers from Europe and America primarily come via the Middle East," Nakarmi said. "The Middle East has the best connectivity with Western countries, with Dubai and Doha serving as major transit hubs." He speculated that the decline in tourist arrivals, which had just begun to recover after the disruptions caused by the Gen-Z movement on September 9-10, could now worsen due to the Middle East conflict. He warned that tourist numbers could potentially drop by 50 to 60 percent.

According to data from the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 20,504 tourists arrived in Nepal from Middle East countries in 2025, up from 16,648 in 2024. While the numbers are relatively small, they show a gradual increasing trend.

The closure of Middle Eastern airspace is also expected to impact arrivals from the US and Europe, which together sent over 450,000 tourists last year. According to the Tourism Board, 221,018 tourists arrived from European countries in 2025, while 135,503 came from North and South America.

CN Pandey, former president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), noted that 60 percent of international flights to Nepal pass through the countries whose airspace is currently closed. He said this would have a major impact on tourist arrivals. Pandey observed that the impact could be particularly significant as the spring season—considered a peak tourist period in Nepal—approaches.

Asian tourist arrivals, however, are not expected to be significantly affected, as they typically use routes via Thailand and Hong Kong. Currently, SAARC nations account for the highest number of tourist arrivals in Nepal, followed by other Asian countries.