The second India–Nepal Tourism Meet was successfully held in Pokhara under the joint initiative of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, and the Pokhara Tourism Council. Organized on Poush 3, 2082, the event aimed at expanding tourism cooperation between Nepal and India, with special emphasis on strengthening ties between Gandaki Province and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, the program was designed to promote Gandaki Province’s tourism potential in the international market while fostering institutional collaboration between tourism stakeholders of both countries. The event also coincided with the celebration of the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the importance of partnership-driven development in tourism.
Gandaki’s Tourism Potential Highlighted
Addressing the program as the chief guest, Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey described the growing tourism cooperation between Nepal and India as a positive and timely development. He emphasized Pokhara and the Muktinath region as major tourism hubs with immense potential to attract Indian pilgrims and leisure travelers alike.
Chief Minister Pandey noted that improved connectivity, shared cultural heritage, and religious significance make Gandaki Province a natural partner for India’s tourism market. He stressed the importance of coordinated efforts among provincial governments, tourism boards, and the private sector to translate this potential into tangible economic benefits.
NTB Outlines Tourism Strategy and Priority Markets
During the event, NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi delivered a comprehensive presentation on Nepal’s overall tourism status, priority source markets, and future strategies. He highlighted that India remains Nepal’s largest source market for foreign tourists, underscoring the strategic importance of deepening bilateral tourism collaboration.
Joshi stated that NTB has initiated several measures to make India–Nepal tourism cooperation more structured and result-oriented. He emphasized that religious, cultural, adventure, and nature-based tourism offer strong opportunities for mutual benefit. According to him, joint promotion of destinations and coordinated marketing efforts can significantly enhance tourist flows between the two countries.
Importance of Connectivity and Joint Tourism Circuits
Speaking at the program, Dr. Rakesh Pandey, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, highlighted how recent improvements in connectivity have accelerated cross-border tourism. He emphasized that coordinated promotion of religious and cultural tourism circuits in Nepal and India is essential for sustaining tourism growth.
Dr. Pandey further stressed the need for systematic collaboration in developing tourism centered on border regions. He noted that religious and cultural similarities provide a strong foundation for joint tourism products, which could appeal to a wider segment of travelers.
Uttar Pradesh Presents Tourism Opportunities
Representing Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Deputy Director Dinesh Kumar presented an overview of major tourism circuits in Uttar Pradesh, including religious and cultural destinations. He also highlighted the upcoming Magh Mela as a key attraction and shared insights into best practices adopted in implementing tourism policies in the state.
Kumar emphasized that Uttar Pradesh is keen to strengthen tourism ties with Gandaki Province, particularly through religious and spiritual tourism, given the strong historical and cultural connections between the two regions.
B2B Sessions and Stakeholder Engagement
As part of the program, a Business-to-Business (B2B) session was organized, bringing together around 10 tourism entrepreneurs from India and 60 tour operators and tourism stakeholders from Nepal. The discussions focused on promoting cross-border tourism via road connectivity, Buddhist circuits, wildlife tourism, adventure tourism, and spiritual travel.
According to NTB, the B2B interactions created a valuable platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and identifying concrete areas of collaboration between private sector stakeholders of both countries.
FAM Trip to Strengthen Practical Cooperation
Continuing the momentum of the tourism meet, NTB and the Pokhara Tourism Council jointly organized a familiarization trip (FAM trip) for a delegation from Uttar Pradesh from Mangsir 29 to Poush 2, 2082. The visit aimed to provide first-hand experience of Pokhara and nearby destinations, helping transform dialogue into practical tourism partnerships.
Strengthening Nepal–India Tourism Relations
The Nepal Tourism Board expressed confidence that such regional and cross-border initiatives will further strengthen Nepal–India tourism relations. NTB believes that sustained collaboration, destination-based partnerships, and private sector engagement will play a crucial role in positioning Nepal as a preferred destination for Indian travelers while fostering long-term regional tourism growth.
