Press Release

December 30, Varanasi, India.

The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NCCI) in association with Nepal Tourism Board, Buddha Air organized an event “Nepal Varanasi Roadshow” at The Clark Varanasi Hotel in Varanasi India.   The Roadshow aims to promote Nepalese Tourism inviting more tourists from India. 

In Nepal-India relations, various dynamics are considered to be instrumental. Nepal and India share deep cultural, spiritual, and historical ties, particularly through religious tourism. The sacred Shiva Circuit (Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Kedarnath, Banaras connection), Buddhist Circuit (Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Kushinagar, Sarnath), and Sikh Circuit represent a natural spiritual and tourism bridge between the two countries.

Despite these shared heritage links, Nepal has not fully tapped into the vast Indian outbound tourism market. India remains Nepal’s largest source of tourist arrivals, but the potential to attract higher numbers, longer stays, and repeat visits remains significant.

Recent data shows that Nepal welcomed approximately 1.15 million tourists in 2024, reflecting a gradual recovery of the country’s tourism industry in the post–COVID-19 period. However, arrivals from India recorded a slight decline. According to the latest data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 1,147,567 foreign visitors entered Nepal by air in the period of January to December 2024, representing an 8.8 percent increase compared to 1,014,817 visitors in 2023. Despite the overall growth in international arrivals, the number of Indian tourists decreased by 0.68 percent as NTB data shows that 317,773 Indian tourists visited Nepal by air in 2024, down from 319,936 in the year 2023.

Although the government had set a target of welcoming 1.6 million tourists in 2024, actual arrivals fell short of this goal. While the tourism industry has largely recovered from the downturn experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a need to attract more visitors in the coming years.

Promotional initiatives such as the Nepal Varanasi roadshow in India are expected to play a key role in boosting pilgrimage tourism. The campaign aims to encourage Hindu pilgrims to include Nepal in the Char Dham Yatra by visiting Pashupatinath Temple. Similarly, to start the Buddhist pilgrimage from Lumbini as the birth place of Gautam Bhddha would also contribute significantly to promote Buddhist pilgrimage tourism in Nepal. The Varanasi roadshow is therefore seen as an important step toward attracting more Indian tourists to Nepal in the days ahead.

Vice President of NICCI Mr. Kunal Kayal highlighted the bond between Nepal and India as it is not merely defined by geography or commerce; it is anchored in shared reverence connecting to both Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and Pashupatinath in Kathmandu. Mr. Kayal further stressed that these are not just two temples; they are two ends of a single sacred thread that has united our people for centuries. Mr. Kayal further added that our spiritual geography goes even deeper as we are the custodians of the Buddhist Circuit, tracing the footsteps of the Enlightened One from his birthplace in Lumbini to his first sermon in Sarnath. We are also linked by the Sikh Circuit, honoring the travels of Guru Nanak Dev Ji through the Himalayas and the plains. Whether it is the dip in the Ganges or in Bagmati, our cultures have always mirrored one another.

Highlighting the objective of the roadshow Mr. Kayal opined that "Our goal today is to transform these ancient routes into a modern, seamless "Religious and Spiritual Circuit." We want to ensure that a devotee who wakes up to the Aarti in Kashi can easily envision- and access- their next prayers in the shadows of the Himalayas at Pashupatinath.

Immediate Past President of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NICCI) Mrs. Shreejana Rana gave her insightful presentation on the five religious circuits between Nepal and India which has been covered in the Coffee Table Book “Religious and Spiritual Circuits-Nepal and India” which was also launched at the roadshow in Varanasi today.

Officiating Director of Nepal Tourism Board Mr. Sunil Sharma highlighted through his presentation that the international tourists including Indian tourists should visit Nepal to “see it, feel it where the time stops”. Mr. Sharma further elaborated about Nepal by presenting three words – Mystery, History and Hospitality- in Nepal, there is mystery, when there is mystery there is history and when there is history there is hospitality and that is what Nepal is about, that is why the international tourists should visit Nepal. 

Keynote Speaker of the roadshow Mr. Binod Kumar Chaudhary highlighted the possibilities and offerings of Nepal which is very much rare in any other countries and that is what we have to promote. Whether it is religious and spirituality, beauty of nature, scenic panoramic view of mountains, lakes, wildlife, weather and above all the people who are very much welcoming, all these specialties Nepal has and that is our real strength to become an economically stronger nation.

Executive Committee Member of NICCI Mr. Shashi Kant Agrawal delivered a valedictory remark highlighting the Nepal Varanasi Roadshow as it is NICCI’s first ever organized event outside Nepal aiming the connect people from India and Nepal through pilgrimage tourism and NICCI will be looking even more events in future and put its efforts in connecting people to people through pilgrimage and other tourism and joint economic initiations. 

‘नेपाल–वाराणसीरोडशो” आजसम्पन्न

डिसेम्बर३०, वाराणसी, भारत।

नेपाल–भारतउद्योगवाणिज्यसंघ (निक्की)लेनेपालपर्यटनबोर्डरबुद्धएयरकोसहकार्यमाभारतकोवाराणसीस्थितदक्लार्कवाराणसीहोटलमा ‘‘नेपाल–वाराणसीरोडशो” कार्यक्रमआयोजनागर्यो।यसरोडशोकोउद्देश्यभारतबाटनेपालमाथपपर्यटकहरूआकर्षितगर्दैनेपालीपर्यटनप्रवद्र्धनगर्नुरहेकोथियो।

नेपाल–भारतसम्बन्धकाविभिन्नआयामहरूमहत्वपूर्णमानिन्छन्।विशेषगरीधार्मिकपर्यटनकामाध्यमबाटनेपालरभारतबीचगहिरोसांस्कृतिक, आध्यात्मिकतथाऐतिहासिकसम्बन्धरहेकोछ।पवित्रशिवसर्किट (पशुपतिनाथ, मुक्तिनाथ, केदारनाथ, बनारस) बौद्धसर्किट (लुम्बिनी, बोधगया, कुशीनगर, सारनाथ) तथासिखसर्किटलेयीदुईदेशबीचप्राकृतिकआध्यात्मिकरपर्यटनपुलकोरूपमाकामगरेकाछन्।

यस्तासाझासांस्कृतिकतथाधार्मिकसम्पदाकाबाबजुदपनिनेपाललेभारतकोविशालबाह्यपर्यटनबजारकोपूर्णउपयोगगर्नसकेकोछैन।भारतनेपालकालागिपर्यटकआगमनकोसबैभन्दाठूलोस्रोतभएतापनिउच्चसंख्यामापर्यटकभिœयाउने, लामोसमयसम्मकोबसाइरपुनःभ्रमणगराउनेसम्भावनाअझैउल्लेखनीयरूपमाबा“कीनैछन्।

हालैकोतथ्यांकअनुसारसन्२०२४मानेपाललेकरिब११.५लाखपर्यटकलाईस्वागतगरेकोछ, जसलेकोभिड–१९पछिकोअवधिमानेपालकोपर्यटनउद्योगक्रमशःपुनःस्थापितहु“दैगएकोदेखाउ“छ।यद्यपिभारतबाटआउनेपर्यटककोसंख्यामाभनेकेहीगिरावटदेखिएकोछ।नेपालपर्यटनबोर्ड (एनटीबी) द्वारासार्वजनिकगरिएकोपछिल्लोतथ्यांकअनुसारजनवरीदेखिडिसेम्बर२०२४सम्मकोअवधिमाहवाईमार्गबाटकुल११,४७,५६७विदेशीपर्यटकनेपालप्रवेशगरेकाछन्, जुनसन्२०२३को१०,१४,८१७कोतुलनामा८.८प्रतिशतलेवृद्धिहो।समग्रअन्तर्राष्ट्रियपर्यटकआगमनमावृद्धिभएतापनिभारतीयपर्यटककोसंख्या०.६८प्रतिशतलेघटेकोछ।पर्यटनबोर्डकोतथ्यांकअनुसारसन्२०२४माहवाईमार्गबाट३,१७,७७३भारतीयपर्यटकनेपालआएकाथिए, जुनसन्२०२३मा३,१९,९३६थियो।

सरकारलेसन्२०२४मा१६लाखपर्यटकभित्र्याउनेलक्ष्यराखेपनिवास्तविकआगमनसोलक्ष्यभन्दाकमरह्यो।कोभिड–१९महामारीकाकारणआएकोगिरावटबाटपर्यटनउद्योगप्रायःपुनःस्थापितभएपनिआगामीवर्षहरूमाथपपर्यटकआकर्षितगर्नअझैप्रयासआवश्यकदेखिन्छ।

भारतमाआयोजनागरिएकोनेपाल–वाराणसीरोडशोजस्ताप्रवद्र्धनात्मकपहलहरूलेधार्मिकपर्यटनप्रवद्र्धनमामहत्वपूर्णभूमिकाखेल्नेअपेक्षागरिएकोछ।यसअभियानलेहिन्दूधार्मिकतीर्थयात्रीहरूलाईपशुपतिनाथमन्दिरदर्शनसहितचारधामयात्रामानेपाललाईसमावेशगर्नप्रोत्साहितगर्नेलक्ष्यराखेकोछ।त्यसैगरीगौतमबुद्धकोजन्मस्थललुम्बिनीबाटबौद्धतीर्थयात्रासुरुगर्नेपहललेनेपालमाबौद्धधार्मिकतीर्थपर्यटनप्रवद्र्धनमाउल्लेखनीययोगदानर्पुयाउनेविश्वासगरिएकोछ।यसकारणवाराणसीरोडशोलाईआगामीदिनहरूमाभारतबाटथपपर्यटकनेपालभित्र्याउनेदिशामामहत्वपूर्णकदमकोरूपमाहेरिएकोछ।

नेपाल–भारतउद्योगवाणिज्यसंघ (निक्की)काउपाध्यक्षकुणालकयाललेनेपालरभारतबीचकोसम्बन्धकेवलभूगोलवाव्यापारमासीमितनभईवाराणसीकोकाशीविश्वनाथरकाठमाडौंकोपशुपतिनाथलाईजोड्नेसाझाआस्थामाआधारितरहेकोउल्लेखगर्नुभयो।उहांलेयीदुईमन्दिरकेवलदुईधार्मिकस्थलमात्रनभईशताब्दीयौंदेखिजनतालाईएकताबद्धगर्दैआएकोएउटैपवित्रसूत्रकादुईछेउभएकोबताउनुभयो।उहांलेथपभन्नुभयोकिहाम्रोआध्यात्मिकभौगोलिकसम्बन्धअझगहिरोछ, किनकिहामीबौद्धसर्किटकासंरक्षकहौं, जसलेलुम्बिनीस्थितजन्मस्थलदेखिसारनाथमापहिलोउपदेशसम्मबुद्धकापदचिन्हपछ्याउंछ।त्यस्तै, गुरुनानकदेवजीकोहिमालयदेखिमैदानसम्मकायात्रालाईसम्मानगर्नेसिखसर्किटमार्फतपनिहामीजोडिएकाछौं।चाहेगंगामास्नानहोस्वाबागमतीमा, हाम्रासंस्कृतिहरूसधैंएक–अर्काकोप्रतिबिम्बबनेकाछन्।

रोडशोकोउद्देश्यस्पष्टपार्दैउपाध्यक्षकयाललेभन्नुभयोकिआजकोहाम्रोलक्ष्ययीप्राचीनमार्गहरूलाईआधुनिक, सहजधार्मिकतथाआध्यात्मिकसर्किटमारूपान्तरणगर्नुहो।काशीमाबिहानसुरुगर्नेआरतीसंगैभक्तजनलेसहजैहिमालयकोकाखमारहेकोपशुपतिनाथमाआफ्नोअर्र्काेप्रार्थनाकोकल्पनागर्नरत्यहांपुग्नसकून्भन्नेहाम्रोचाहनाहो।

नेपाल–भारतउद्योगवाणिज्यसंघ (निक्की)कापूर्वअध्यक्षश्रीमतीश्रीजनाराणालेनेपालरभारतबीचकापांचधार्मिकसर्किटबारेआफ्नोमहत्वपूर्णप्रस्तुतिदिनुभयो।यीसर्किटहरू ‘‘रिलिजियसएण्डस्पिरिच्युएलसर्किट, नेपालएण्डइण्डिया” नामककफीटेबलबुकमासमेटिएकाछन्जुनआजवाराणसीरोडशोमैविमोचनपनिगरियो।

नेपालपर्यटनबोर्डकाकार्यवाहकनिर्देशकश्रीसुनीलशर्मालेआफ्नोप्रस्तुतिमार्फतभारतीयसहितअन्तर्राष्ट्रियपर्यटकहरूलेनेपा ‘‘हेर्न, महसुसगर्न – जहांसमयरोकिन्छ” भन्नेहरफकासाथनेपालकीनभ्रमणगर्नेभन्नेवारेचर्चागर्नुभयो।उहांलेनेपाललाईतीनशब्दमाव्याख्यागर्नुभयो – रहस्य, इतिहासरआतिथ्यता।जहांरहस्यहुन्छ, त्यहांइतिहासहुन्छ, रजहांइतिहासहुन्छ, त्यहांआतिथ्यताहुन्छर  यहीनैनेपालकोपहिचानभएकोरयहीकारणअन्तर्राष्ट्रियपर्यटकहरूलेनेपालभ्रमणगर्नुपर्नेउहांलेआप्mनोधारणाराख्नुभयो।

रोडशोकामुख्यवक्ताश्रीबिनोदकुमारचौधरीलेनेपालमारहेकात्यस्तासम्भावनारविशेषताहरूकोचर्चागर्नुभयो, जुनअन्यअन्यधेरैदेशहरुमादुर्लभछन्।धार्मिकतथाआध्यात्मिकपक्ष, प्राकृतिकसौन्दर्य, हिमाल, ताल, वन्यजन्तु, मौसमरसबैभन्दामहत्वपूर्णअतिथिसत्कारमाअग्रणीनेपालीजनता – यीसबैनेपालकाविशेषताभएकोरयहीहाम्रोवास्तविकशक्तिकोरुपमारहेकोरयसैकोबलबुत्तामा  देशलाईआर्थिकरूपमासशक्तबनाउनसकिनेउहांबताउनुभयो।

नेपाल–भारतउद्योगवाणिज्यसंघ (निक्की)काकार्यकारिणीसमितिसदस्यश्रीशशीकान्तअग्रवाललेसमापनमन्तव्यदिंदैनेपाल–वाराणसीरोडशोलाईसंघलेनेपालबाहिरपहिलोपटकआयोजनागरेकोकार्यक्रमभएकोउल्लेखगर्नुभयो।यसकार्यक्रमकोउद्देश्यतीर्थपर्यटनमार्फतनेपालरभारतकाजनतालाईजोड्नुरहेकोरभविष्यमायस्ताथपकार्यक्रमआयोजनागर्दैतीर्थ, पर्यटनतथासंयुक्तआर्थिकपहलमार्फतजन–जनबीचकोसम्बन्धअझबलियोबनाउनेउहंँलेबताउनुभयो।