Tourism businesses from Pokhara and Northeast India have held a business-to-business (B2B) meeting in Pokhara to strengthen tourism promotion, visitor exchange, and commercial cooperation between the two destinations. The event was organised on Friday by Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) Gandaki, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) Gandaki, and Hotel Association Pokhara, with the promotion of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and in collaboration with Pokhara Tourism Council. Representatives of the North East Indian Tourist Confederation (NEITC) and tourism entrepreneurs from Pokhara participated in the programme held with the objective of expanding tourism promotion and business networks between the two regions.
Focus on Tourist Exchange and Business Partnerships
The meeting brought tourism businesses from Nepal and Northeast India together for direct discussions on increasing tourist flows, expanding business relationships and developing joint tourism promotion initiatives. Pokhara Tourism Council President Hari Bhujel said direct interaction between tourism entrepreneurs from the two regions could help identify new areas of cooperation and strengthen tourism promotion in Pokhara.
According to Bhujel, preparations are also underway to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between tourism businesses in Pokhara and Northeast India for tourist exchange and joint promotion. He said the two regions share similarities in geography, culture and religious destinations, creating opportunities for greater tourism cooperation.
Pokhara Highlights Safety Amid Flood and Landslide Concerns
Pokhara tourism entrepreneurs also used the programme to convey that Pokhara remains safe and open to visitors despite floods and landslides affecting some parts of Nepal. Hotel Association Pokhara President Laxman Subedi said the recent natural disasters have been limited to specific areas, while Pokhara continues to remain accessible and safe for tourists.
Subedi called for stronger tourism cooperation between Nepal and Bharat, linking the initiative to the longstanding people-to-people relationship between the two countries. He also expressed commitment to taking the ‘Chaliye Pokhara’ tourism promotion campaign, which has been conducted in various Indian cities, to Northeast India through greater collaboration with local tourism businesses.
Call for Better Air Connectivity
Pokhara tourism stakeholders have also proposed stronger air connectivity between Pokhara and cities in Northeast India. Bhujel pointed to the international operations of flydubai from Pokhara and called on Indian tourism stakeholders to explore initiatives that could help connect cities in Northeast India with Pokhara through direct or improved air links. Improved connectivity, they said, could facilitate greater tourist movement between the two regions and create opportunities for tour operators to develop joint travel packages.
24 Tourism Representatives From Northeast India Participate
A total of 24 representatives from the North East Indian Tourist Confederation participated in the discussions. Tour operators from Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Guwahati, Darjeeling and Manipur were among those participating in the programme.
NEITC President Chhiring Wangye expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Pokhara tourism businesses. Praising Pokhara’s natural beauty and hospitality, he said tourism businesses from Northeast India were prepared to work toward increasing tourist movement in both directions.
NEITC General Secretary Yangchen Tongden Lepcha said Nepal and Northeast India may be separated by an international border, but they share common objectives in tourism. He called for tourism businesses from both sides to work together on promotional activities and other tourism initiatives in the coming days.
Indian Mountaineer Praises Pokhara’s Hospitality
Mountaineer Dr. Anshu Jamsenpa, who has climbed Mount Everest five times and holds a Guinness World Record, also participated in the programme. Describing Pokhara as an excellent tourism destination, she praised the city’s hospitality and visitor experience. “Hospitality is something Pokhara can teach us. It was truly wonderful,” she said. Dr. Anshu was also honoured by Pokhara’s tourism entrepreneurs during the event. Other participating tour operators were presented with tokens of appreciation, according to Hotel Association Pokhara Treasurer Ramesh Paudel.
NATTA Calls for Joint Commercial Opportunities
NATTA Gandaki President Sangeeta Poudel called on tourism businesses from Nepal and Northeast India to work together to identify new commercial opportunities. She said the B2B programme was aimed at strengthening tourism relations between Pokhara and Northeast India and increasing the arrival of Indian tourists to Pokhara.
Poudel added that direct engagement between businesses could help both sides identify new opportunities for joint tourism products, promotion and visitor exchange. The organisers said the B2B initiative is expected to create a platform for sustained cooperation between tourism businesses from Pokhara and Northeast India, with further promotional activities and a formal MoU being considered to institutionalise the partnership.
