Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister, Badri Prasad Pandey, who is currently on a visit to Cambodia, discussed the potential for building a religious tourism network between Nepal and Cambodia, establishing direct air flights, and collaborating on the development of the Greater Buddhist Circuit. During his meeting with Cambodia’s Tourism Minister, Hout Hak, and Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs, Chhai Borin, on Tuesday, Minister Pandey explored these possibilities.
In the discussions at Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, Minister Pandey shared his experience of seeing statues of Lord Ganesh at various street corners in Cambodia, similar to Nepal, and suggested future collaboration to create shared pilgrimage sites or religious networks between the two countries.
He also noted that although Lord Buddha was born in Nepal, Buddhism spread rapidly in Cambodia, and emphasized that if direct flights between Nepal and Cambodia were established, Cambodian religious tourists could easily visit the birthplace of Buddha.
Minister Pandey highlighted the historical connections between Nepal and Cambodia, as well as the importance of bilateral tourism cooperation, stating, “The histories and religions of Cambodia and Nepal are deeply intertwined.” He also reflected on the struggles both nations have faced through wars and conflicts, pointing out that Nepal can learn a lot from Cambodia’s progress in post-conflict development.
He referred to major religious sites like Lumbini, Muktinath, and Janaki Mandir in Nepal, as well as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, noting that these could become shared cultural and religious heritage sites for both countries. He emphasized that both nations share common religious tolerance and goodwill.
Both sides agreed that starting direct air flights between Nepal and Cambodia could significantly improve tourist traffic. Additionally, discussions were held about potential collaboration on the development of the Greater Buddhist Circuit.
Minister Pandey also discussed Cambodia’s development of the largest airport in Asia, stating that this project would shorten the physical distance between Nepal and Cambodia. He shared examples of how international airlines operating in airports like Lumbini and Pokhara in Nepal have benefited from special incentives. Furthermore, Minister Pandey stressed the need to form a diplomatic and staff-level team to identify areas for bilateral cooperation and to establish a framework for implementation.
Cambodia has projected an arrival of 7.2 million international tourists in 2024 and expressed interest in collaborating with Nepal under the broader umbrella of UN Tourism to rebuild and prosper the tourism sector. Cambodia expressed its commitment to deepening cooperation with Nepal in the areas of religious and cultural collaboration.
