POKHARA, May 12: The majority of foreign tourists entering Nepal fall within the age bracket of 31 to 45 years. Out of 10,14,882 foreign tourists who visited Nepal in 2023, 317,170 were in this age group, constituting 31.25 percent of the total tourists, according to the data from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA).
Comparatively, in 2022, there were 208,299 tourists aged 31 to 45 among a total of 614,869 foreign visitors, accounting for about 34 percent.
The second-largest group of foreign tourists visiting Nepal are aged 46 to 60 years. In 2023, 272,342 tourists fell within this age bracket, making up 26.84 percent of the total. Last year, 155,985 tourists in this age group visited Nepal.
The third-largest age group among foreign tourists is 16 to 30 years, with 189,790 tourists in 2023 compared to 121,096 the previous year. Additionally, there were 169,791 tourists over 60 years old and 61,316 tourists under 15 years old in 2023, up from 78,660 and 48,664 respectively in 2022.
Mani Raj Lamichhane, Director of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said, “Even though Nepal is renowned for adventure tourism in the foreign market, a significant number of tourists aged 31 to 45 years visit Nepal. Tourists who go on trekking are included in this age group.” He said that the number of tourists who enjoy the adventure destinations of Nepal are of this age group.
He also said that tourists of this age group tend to visit to celebrate holidays, stay in expensive hotels, and spend more on luxury experiences. Lamichhane said, “There are potential benefits to Nepal’s tourism sector if this age group is targeted effectively.”
Trekking entrepreneurs assert that 40 percent of the foreign tourists visiting Pokhara engage in trekking activities. “According to the statistics, at least 40 percent of the tourists visiting Pokhara opt for trekking,” he said. Dharma Raj Panthi, president of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Gandaki, the umbrella organization of trekking entrepreneurs, said, “We have been focusing on the overall number of tourists rather than specific age groups.” He also said that although there are more tourists aged 31 to 45 visiting Nepal, it is not certain that all of them necessarily choose to trek.
He said that many tourists opt for short-distance hiking. Shorter hikes may not count as trekking, he said. Longer treks require additional time and expenses to manage, resulting in fewer tourists choosing such options. “However, short-distance treks are popular among visitors,” he said. He also said that younger generation tourists prefer to go on treks. Although the 31 to 45 age group represents a significant portion of Nepal’s tourist arrivals, not all within this age group choose trekking. “Nonetheless, this age group remains ideal for trekking adventures,” Panthi added.
