Tourism is back to pre-pandemic numbers. The spend per visitor is not
Arrivals have recovered. Shorter stays and tighter budgets mean the industry is working harder for the same money.
The tourism board's arrival figures have climbed back to the levels of 2019, driven by India, China and a steady flow of trekkers from Europe and North America. (Nepal Tourism Board 2025)
Globally the pattern is similar: UN Tourism's barometer shows international arrivals recovering almost everywhere, with Asia the last region to return. (‘World Tourism Barometer’ 2025)
Fewer nights, less spent
The average stay is shorter than it was and daily spend has not kept pace with costs. Industry research puts the sector's share of national output below its pre-pandemic peak despite the headcount. (‘Economic Impact Research’ 2024)
References
2024. Economic Impact Research. London: World Travel & Tourism Council. https://wttc.org/research/economic-impact.
Nepal Tourism Board. 2025. “Tourism statistics.”. https://ntb.gov.np/.
2025. World Tourism Barometer. Madrid: UN Tourism. https://www.unwto.org/un-tourism-world-tourism-barometer-data.
Cite this story
Dispatch Report (2024) ‘Tourism is back to pre-pandemic numbers. The spend per visitor is not’, 15 October. Available at: https://thedispatchreport.com/article/tourism-is-back-to-pre-pandemic-numbers-the-spend-per-visitor-is-not (Accessed: 5 October 2026).
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