Nepal-India teaming up for promoting cross-border religious tourism

CB Adhikari
Agra (India), Jan 16: Tourism entrepreneurs of Nepal and India have expressed shared commitment for promoting cross-border religious tourism.    

At an interaction among tourism entrepreneurs of both the countries, hosted in coordination and collaboration with the Embassy of India in Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board and Uttar Pradesh Tourism Board of India, the participants came up with the commitment to work in tandem for tourism promotion.    

According to tourism-related agencies and businesspersons of both the countries, the two countries will collaborate for reaping mutual benefits by widening the partnership in the promotion of religious tourism in the border areas.    

As part of its preparation, Nepali businessmen were recently offered a six-day exposure visit of various religious sites in India. In this connection, an introductory visit to the world famous religious and tourism places like Mathura, Agra, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Banaras and Ayodhya along with interactions were held among tourism entrepreneurs.    

During the visit, tourism entrepreneurs openly discussed the tourism possibilities, challenges and opportunities in both the countries.     

Additional Strategic Officer of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department Akash Deep said such an event would significantly contribute to enhance cooperation for the development of tourism in both the countries.    

Agra Travel Agents Association General Secretary Kaushlendra Singh commented the discussions were successful in highlighting the potentials of religious tourism between Nepal and India. He pledged to encourage Indian tourists to visit tourism spots of Nepal after a briefing from Nepali entrepreneurs and representatives of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) about the religious tourism sites.    

NTB Senior Manager Shraddha Shrestha shared that the event was organized to highlight tourism potentials between the two countries, enhancing cooperation between entrepreneurs and promoting inter-country tourism.    

Likewise, Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City mayor Manoj Kumar Sah said they were teaming up to develop Ayodhya and Janakpur as Ramayana circuit.    

Tourism entrepreneur Maya Prasad Bhatta stressed the need for collaboration to take tourists to new tourism destinations in the far-western region. "There is a need for cooperation between the two countries in the promotion of jungle safari and various religious pilgrimage sites, sacred areas like Badhimalika and Khaptad," he said.    

In order to promote religious tourism of Nepal and India, promotional programmes were also organized in Venares.    

President of Vanarasi Tourism Gilt, Santosh Kumar Singh said both sides should tap benefits of the centuries-old religious and cultural relations between Nepal and India. Stating that Nepal and India are important tourist destinations for both Buddhists and Hindus, he urged the Hindu Nepali tourists to participate in the Kumbha Mela to be held in India after 12 years.    

He also said that many Indian tourists were eager to visit Nepal if Nepal's road infrastructure could be improved.    

Deputy Director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department R K Rawat said that the collective initiative by Nepal and India for the promotion of religious tourism was inspiring and stressed the need to continue exchanges.    

Earlier, a formal programme related to tourism was organized by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department in Lucknow. During the meeting, discussions were held on the upcoming tourism strategy along with interaction and exchange of business experience between the government agencies and private sector tourism entrepreneurs related to tourism of both the countries.   

 
At the invitation of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, 23 Nepali businesspersons, government representatives and media persons participated in the programme.    

Earlier, Nepal had invited tourism entrepreneurs from India and Uttar Pradesh to Nepal to inform them about the tourism sectors of Nepal and announced to continue such programmes by preparing an annual schedule between the two tourism boards. RSS