Kathmandu- Tourism entrepreneurs from Nepal and India have expressed a shared commitment to promoting cross-border religious tourism. During an interaction hosted collaboratively by the Embassy of India in Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), and the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Board, participants pledged to work together to boost religious tourism between the two countries.
Representatives from tourism agencies and businesses emphasized the mutual benefits of widening partnerships in promoting religious tourism in the border areas. To support this initiative, Nepali businesspersons recently participated in a six-day exposure visit to various religious sites in India. The itinerary included world-famous destinations such as Mathura, Agra, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Banaras, and Ayodhya. The visit also featured interactions among tourism entrepreneurs to discuss tourism possibilities, challenges, and opportunities in both countries.
Akash Deep, Additional Strategic Officer of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, highlighted the significance of such events in fostering cooperation for tourism development. Similarly, Kaushlendra Singh, General Secretary of the Agra Travel Agents Association, remarked that the discussions effectively showcased the potential of religious tourism between Nepal and India. Singh pledged to encourage Indian tourists to explore Nepal’s religious sites, following presentations by Nepali entrepreneurs and NTB representatives.
Shraddha Shrestha, Senior Manager at NTB, stated that the event aimed to enhance cooperation between tourism entrepreneurs and promote inter-country tourism. Additionally, Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Manoj Kumar Sah discussed plans to develop Ayodhya and Janakpur as part of the Ramayana Circuit.
Tourism entrepreneur Maya Prasad Bhatta called for collaboration to introduce tourists to new destinations in Nepal's far-western region. He emphasized the need to promote jungle safaris and religious pilgrimage sites, including sacred areas like Badhimalika and Khaptad.
Promotional events were also organized in Varanasi to further the initiative. Santosh Kumar Singh, President of the Varanasi Tourism Guild, urged both sides to capitalize on their centuries-old religious and cultural ties. He invited Hindu Nepali tourists to participate in India’s Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, and noted that many Indian tourists were eager to visit Nepal if road infrastructure could be improved.
R.K. Rawat, Deputy Director of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, described the joint initiative as inspiring and underscored the importance of continued exchanges. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department hosted a formal programme in Lucknow, where government agencies and private-sector entrepreneurs discussed future tourism strategies and shared business experiences.
The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department invited 23 Nepali businesspersons, government representatives, and media personnel to participate in the programme. Similarly, Nepal had previously hosted Indian tourism entrepreneurs to showcase Nepal’s tourism sector. Both sides agreed to institutionalize such initiatives by preparing an annual schedule for collaboration between their respective tourism boards. CB Adhikari/RSS
