India–Nepal Tourism Meet Held in Pokhara to Strengthen Bilateral Tourism Partnership

The second India–Nepal Tourism Meet was successfully held in Pokhara, jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. The event, held in collaboration with the Pokhara Tourism Council, focused on expanding tourism cooperation between India and Nepal, particularly between Uttar Pradesh and Gandaki Province.

Promoting Gandaki Province’s Tourism Internationally

The program was designed to highlight the tourism potential of Gandaki Province and coincided with celebrations of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Surendra Raj Pandey, Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, served as the chief guest and emphasized the growing tourism collaboration between Nepal and India, highlighting Pokhara and Muktinath as key destinations for cross-border initiatives.

Key Presentations and Discussions

Deepak Raj Joshi, Chief Executive Officer of NTB, provided a detailed presentation on the state of Nepalese tourism, key source markets, and future strategic plans. He noted that India remains the largest source of tourists to Nepal and stressed that strengthening institutional and practical cooperation with Indian counterparts is a priority. Joshi highlighted that both countries could mutually benefit through religious, cultural, adventure, and nature-based tourism.

Dr. Rakesh Pandey, Deputy Head of Mission at the Indian Embassy, remarked that improvements in connectivity have accelerated cross-border tourism. He emphasized the need for joint promotion of religious and cultural tourism circuits and the systematic development of border-area tourism initiatives.

Dinesh Kumar, Deputy Director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, presented on major tourism circuits in the state, sharing best practices in policy implementation and highlighting the upcoming Magh Mela as a key attraction for regional collaboration.

Business-to-Business (B2B) Engagement

The meet included a B2B session with participation from approximately 10 tourism professionals from India and 60 from Nepal. Discussions centered on cross-border tourism promotion via land routes, Buddhist circuits, wildlife tourism, adventure tourism, and spiritual tourism, with a focus on identifying practical collaboration opportunities.

Familiarization Trip to Enhance Cooperation

As a follow-up to the meet, NTB and Pokhara Tourism Council organized a familiarization (FAM) trip for the Uttar Pradesh delegation from 29 Mangsir to 2 Poush, 2082. The visit provided direct exposure to Pokhara and surrounding destinations, with the aim of converting discussions into practical tourism partnerships.

The Nepal Tourism Board expressed confidence that such regional and bilateral initiatives will further strengthen India–Nepal tourism cooperation, benefiting both countries’ economies and cultural exchange.