Nepal shifts focus to Asia-Pacific as Western tourism dips
Nepal's trekking industry is adjusting to a decline in high-spending Western tourists due to international conflicts. Operators are now looking toward Asia-Pacific markets to offset the drop in visitors from the Americas and Europe.
Nepal’s tourism industry is scrambling to offset a sharp fall in Western visitors during the peak spring trekking season, with operators and officials turning their attention to Asia-Pacific markets as conflict-linked travel disruptions ripple through the Middle East. Arrivals from the Americas and Europe, which account for a sizeable share of Nepal’s higher-spending long-haul tourism business, dropped by nearly 25 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, during March compared with the same...