A new tourism initiative connecting three of Nepal’s prominent destinations, Pokhara, Bharatpur and Lumbini, has moved forward with the launch of the ‘Silver Triangle Tourism’ concept aimed at boosting visitor numbers, strengthening cooperation and promoting the three destinations as an integrated tourism circuit.
The initiative brings together Pokhara Metropolitan City of Kaski, Bharatpur Metropolitan City of Chitwan and Lumbini Cultural Municipality of Rupandehi to jointly promote tourism, exchange best practices and enhance cooperation among local governments and tourism stakeholders.
Stakeholders Commit to Joint Tourism Promotion
Bharatpur Metropolitan City organized an interaction on the Silver Triangle on Monday to gather suggestions from stakeholders and develop plans for implementing the initiative. Representatives from all three local governments, elected representatives, government officials, private-sector leaders and tourism entrepreneurs participated in the interaction.
They expressed commitment to jointly promote the three destinations, which hold significant importance from adventure, natural, cultural and religious tourism perspectives. Speaking at the programme, Chitwan District Coordination Committee Chief Narayan Prasad Adhikari said the destinations could be promoted through their distinct tourism strengths.
He suggested positioning Pokhara for adventure tourism, Bharatpur for nature tourism and Lumbini for cultural and religious tourism. He also emphasized that tourism infrastructure development should be accompanied by adequate attention to cleanliness and environmental protection.
Pokhara Seeks Stronger B2B and G2G Cooperation
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the Silver Triangle concept was introduced to strengthen the economies of all three cities by attracting more tourists. He said an understanding had already been reached among the three local governments to incorporate joint tourism promotion programmes into their respective policies and plans.
“Now, we need to advance business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-government (G2G) collaboration in a concrete and visible way,” Acharya said. According to him, improved connectivity among the three destinations would encourage tourists to visit Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini as part of a single travel itinerary, thereby increasing the length of stay and economic benefits across the destinations.
Call for Greater Private Sector Investment
Acting Mayor of Lumbini Cultural Municipality Kalpana Harijan emphasized the need for increased private-sector investment in tourism infrastructure and services. She said stakeholders should take collective initiatives to ensure the sustainable operation of Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport, as both airports could play an important role in strengthening tourism connectivity. Harijan stressed that stronger cooperation between local governments and the private sector would be essential to transform the Silver Triangle concept into a sustainable tourism product.
Tourism Sector Urges Stronger Recovery Efforts
Coordinator of the Pokhara Visit Year 2025–2026, Gopi Bhattarai, highlighted the importance of cooperation between the government and the private sector to revive and expand tourism. He said Nepal’s tourism sector has been adversely affected by natural disasters in recent times and stressed the need to communicate the message that “Nepal is open and safe” to international markets. He called for coordinated promotional campaigns to restore visitor confidence and encourage tourists to explore destinations across the country.
Digital Marketing Identified as Key to Promotion
Santosh Pokharel, Executive Member of the Nepal Tourism Board, emphasized the importance of effective digital marketing for promoting the three destinations. He noted that a growing number of travelers rely on digital platforms to research destinations, attractions, accommodation and travel experiences before making their travel decisions. According to him, the Silver Triangle initiative should therefore focus on strong digital campaigns and coordinated online promotion to reach domestic and international tourists.
Silver Triangle Tourism Fair Planned
Acting Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City Chitrasen Adhikari said collaboration and partnership would be crucial for promoting the three destinations, which are closely associated with Nepal’s tourism identity. He announced that a Silver Triangle Tourism Fair would be organized soon as part of efforts to strengthen joint promotion and provide a platform for tourism businesses and stakeholders from the three destinations.
The proposed tourism circuit brings together Pokhara’s adventure and mountain experiences, Bharatpur’s wildlife and nature-based attractions, and Lumbini’s Buddhist heritage and spiritual significance, creating an opportunity to market the three destinations as a complementary travel experience.
MoU Signed Earlier
The three local governments had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May to advance the Silver Triangle Tourism initiative. The latest interaction has further emphasized the need to translate the agreement into concrete joint programmes, stronger connectivity, coordinated marketing and greater private-sector participation. Through the initiative, the three local governments aim to establish a more integrated tourism circuit that can increase tourist arrivals, extend visitors’ length of stay and distribute tourism-related economic benefits across Pokhara, Bharatpur and Lumbini.
