Industrialists and business leaders in Rupandehi have urged the government to bring Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa to full operational capacity immediately. Despite the completion of the airport construction long ago, it has yet to operate at its full potential, raising concerns among tourism and business stakeholders about underutilized infrastructure and investment risks.
Tourism entrepreneur Amit Gupta highlighted that more than NRs 1 trillion has been invested in the region’s tourism sector, but the expected returns have not been realized due to the limited operation of the airport. The lack of full functionality has put considerable investment at risk, affecting businesses that rely on the flow of both domestic and international tourists to the region.
Strategic Importance for Tourism
The areas surrounding Lumbini, Devdaha, Ramgram, Tilaurakot, and the Rohini River are significant for their historical, religious, and Buddhist heritage. These destinations hold immense potential for cultural and religious tourism. Stakeholders had hoped that the operation of an international airport would play a vital role in promoting these destinations. However, without effective measures to utilize the airport, tourism promotion in these areas has not reached its potential.
Netra Prasad Acharya, president of the Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed optimism that the new government, once formed, would take a proactive role in promoting tourism and ensuring the full operation of the airport. He emphasized that the region could emerge as a center of Buddhist civilization, history, and religious tourism. Acharya added that a fully operational Gautam Buddha International Airport would not only boost tourism but also catalyze broader economic activities in the region.
Boosting Industry and Trade using Gautam Buddha International Airport
Madhu Prasad Panthi, president of the Nepal Customs Agents Association, Bhairahawa, underscored the industrial significance of Rupandehi. He stressed that the new government should focus on creating infrastructure and an environment that allows locally produced goods to reach international markets. Panthi highlighted that improving export capacity from the Bhairahawa Industrial Corridor would strengthen the industrial sector and increase regional economic output.
He added that effective airport operations and border management would directly support international trade expansion. Representatives from the private sector expressed hope that a stable government would create an investment-friendly environment, promote tourism, support industrial growth, and develop critical infrastructure.
Economic and Tourism Impacts
Private sector stakeholders believe that once Gautam Buddha International Airport operates regularly at full capacity, it will inject significant energy into both tourism and industry in Rupandehi. The Gautam Buddha International Airport is expected to serve as a gateway not only for tourists visiting the Lumbini region but also for business travelers, investors, and industrial exports.
Officials and business leaders assert that a fully operational airport would enhance tourism promotion, attract foreign investment, expand industrial trade, and foster overall economic growth. The expectation is that improved connectivity through the airport will make the Lumbini area a globally recognized center for Buddhist heritage tourism while simultaneously energizing local industries.
In conclusion, Rupandehi’s business and tourism stakeholders strongly advocate for immediate action to ensure the full operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport. They believe that this step is critical for leveraging the region’s rich historical and religious significance, boosting international trade, supporting local industries, and realizing the long-term economic potential of the Lumbini and Bhairahawa areas. A fully functional international airport, they argue, will act as a catalyst for economic transformation, reinforcing Rupandehi as both a tourism hub and an industrial powerhouse of Nepal.
