Bardiya, July 19 -- Visitor numbers at Nepal's Bardiya National Park fell slightly in the last fiscal year, with officials attributing the decline to domestic unrest and the impact of West Asia tension on international travel.

The park welcomed 27,025 visitors in the 2025-26 fiscal year, down from 28,068 a year earlier.

Of the total, 18,907 were Nepali visitors, 6,901 were foreign tourists other than SAARC, and 1,217 came from SAARC member countries, according to park authorities. Entrance fees generated Rs32.6 million in revenue during the fiscal year.

Mahesh Neupane, the park's information officer, said a two-day nationwide Gen Z protest in September disrupted tourist movement, while the conflict in West Asia dampened international a...