Pokhara metropolis advancing tourism diplomacy

By Ramesh Paudel,Pokhara, Mar. 31: Pokhara, the tourism capital, has been advancing tourism diplomacy to establish itself in the global market. The metropolitan city has intensified this initiative by declaring the Pokhara Visit Year.

This diplomatic relationship has been established with cities in friendly nations that not only align with Pokhara’s air, water, nature, and culture but also share a similar perspective on eco-tourism. Pokhara Metropolitan City initiated its sister-city relations in 2001 with Komagane, Japan, and has since expanded these ties to 19 cities across six countries, including China, Turkey, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Currently, the highest number of sister-city relationships has been formed with China, linking Pokhara to 11 Chinese metropolitan cities. Most recently, Pokhara has also established sister-city ties with Luzhou, a city in China’s Sichuan province.

Dhanraj Acharya, the Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, stated that sister-city relationships facilitate the influx of tourists from friendly nations. He noted that interest among Chinese citizens in visiting Nepal has been increasing, with Pokhara emerging as their top choice.

He further highlighted that Chinese tourists particularly enjoy Pokhara’s nature, culture and adventure tourism. During his visit to China last year, Mayor Acharya had already laid the groundwork for the formal announcement of sister-city ties between Luzhou and Pokhara. He emphasised that such relations contribute to the mutual promotion of both nations. Additionally, he mentioned plans to expand sister-city relations to two cities in India in the near future, with five new cities to be added this year.

During the visit, Luzhou’s Mayor, Jian, expressed his familiarity with Pokhara and announced his intent to visit the city soon. He also briefed the delegation about developments in Luzhou in the fields of urban planning, agriculture, healthcare and tourism. During their meeting, the mayors of both cities exchanged greetings on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Nepal-China diplomatic relations. They acknowledged that while China has declared Nepal Tourism Year 2025, Pokhara is also celebrating Pokhara Visit Year 2025, strengthening their mutual tourism promotion efforts.

Shivraj Chaulagai, the Chief Administrative Officer of Pokhara Metropolitan City, emphasised that sister-city relationships help foster deeper people-to-people connections between the two nations. He noted that this not only promotes tourism but also facilitates cooperation in development and technological advancements. According to Chaulagai, such collaborations help determine investment opportunities based on market demand following the influx of tourists.

Regarding this initiative, Nepal’s Consul General in Chengdu, Suresh Rawat, stated that sister-city relations between Nepali and Chinese metropolises not only strengthen bilateral ties but also contribute to tourism diplomacy and the culture of travel campaigns. 

He pointed out that Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou provinces in southwestern China collectively have a population of 180 million. If Nepal strategically targets this demographic, it could lead to a transformative shift in Nepal’s tourism industry.

Former Nepal Tourism Board member and veteran tourism entrepreneur Basu Tripathi underscored the importance of further mobilising Nepal’s consulates to enhance tourism diplomacy.

Meanwhile, Mani Lamichhane, head of the Nepal Tourism Board’s Pokhara office, highlighted that tourism diplomacy not only fosters economic development but also deepens cultural and social ties between the citizens of both countries. He stated that although the Tourism Board has been conducting sales missions in cities like Luzhou, this is the first time a sales mission has been organized in Chenzhou, marking a new milestone in tourism diplomacy.