Nepal Drawing More Korean Tourists

Nepal is increasingly becoming a popular destination among South Korean travellers. The Himalayan nation hosts thousands of Korean tourists every year. Most of them come here for experiencing various adventure activities such as trekking and mountaineering. They are also interested in getting familiar with Nepali culture and lifestyle. As Nepal is home to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and numerous other Buddhist pilgrimage sites, many Koreans following Buddhism enter the country directly by air or via India. Since Korean Air now operates only three flights a week between Seoul and Kathmandu, a lot of Korean tourists are forced to use Chinese and other carriers while travelling to Kathmandu. They have to face inconveniences because of a long transit. Despite all this, the Republic of Korea (RoK) has come out to be among the top 10 tourist source markets for Nepal. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the inflow of Korean visitors into Nepal was increasing significantly. In 2018, nearly 40,000 Koreans travelled to Nepal.