Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya and the Director of the Department of Tourism and Culture of Sichuan Province, China, Wang Yan, held a meeting today in Chengdu. The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen ties and explore potential areas of collaboration in the tourism and cultural sectors between Pokhara and Sichuan Province.
Both leaders discussed opportunities for mutual growth, with a special focus on promoting tourism, cultural exchange, and enhancing bilateral relations. The meeting marks a significant step towards fostering a stronger partnership between Nepal and China in the tourism industry, opening avenues for both cultural exchange and economic development.
Following the first commercial charter flight from Pokhara International Airport to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Tuesday, the meeting between Mayor Acharya and Director Wang focused on regular flights between Pokhara and Chengdu as well as tourism collaboration. The office of the municipality stated that discussions were held to promote tourism partnerships. Mayor Acharya briefed Director Wang about Pokhara as an attractive destination for nature, culture, and adventure tourism.
Mayor Acharya mentioned that Pokhara was declared the tourism capital last year, and that the first commercial charter flight was part of ongoing efforts to establish regular international flights from the newly constructed Airport. He expressed confidence that the city would continue to offer support for this initiative. Acknowledging China’s declaration of 2025 as Nepal’s Visit Nepal Year, as well as the declaration of the Visit Pokhara Year, Mayor Acharya encouraged Director Wang to promote travel to Nepal among Chinese tourists.
Director Wang highlighted the similarities between the landscapes of both countries, noting that both have the Himalayas, and the climate is also comparable. He emphasized the importance of making the Chengdu-Pokhara flight a success and suggested the municipality prepare tourism-targeted plans. He also informed that a tourism business conference would be held in Chengdu this May, urging participation in the conference to benefit from it.
Suresh Raut, Nepal’s Consul General in Chengdu, mentioned that the Nepali Consulate was established in Chengdu in 2021 and emphasized that tourism is an important aspect of economic diplomacy. He highlighted that Pokhara is not only a beautiful tourist destination but also exceptional in terms of hospitality, noting the need for coordination to send more tourists from China.
