Bhaktapur: The Changunarayan Temple in Bhaktapur district, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracted a total of 31,225 foreign tourists in the last fiscal year 2024/25.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Sabita Basnet, Chief of the Changunarayan Tourism Centre, reported that among the tourists visiting the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, 5,756 were from the SAARC countries.
Similarly, 25,459 European tourists arrived at the ancient temple situated atop a small hill to the east of Kathmandu. The influx of foreign tourists into one of the most elaborate temples in the Kathmandu Valley generated over Rs 11.9 million in revenue for Changunarayan Municipality, it was informed.
Tourists from SAARC countries are required to pay an entry fee of Rs 300 per person, while the entry fee is set at Rs 400 per person for those from countries outside the SAARC region.
The revenue collected from the arrival of foreign tourists will be spent on the development and preservation of historical, religious, and tourist sites within the Changunarayan Municipality, said Jivan Khattri, Mayor of the Municipality.