Second India-Nepal Tourism Meet held in Pokhara to boost cross-border tourism

Pokhara [Nepal], December 18 : The Embassy of India in Kathmandu, in association with the Nepal Tourism Board and the Pokhara Tourism Council, jointly organised the 2nd India-Nepal Tourism Meet in Pokhara, aimed at promoting tourism between Uttar Pradesh and Nepal, with a special focus on Gandaki Province. The event also celebrated the International Year of Cooperatives.
In his remarks, Dr Rakesh Pandey, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India, highlighted the enhanced connectivity, which is giving further momentum to cross-border tourism.
He emphasised the importance of joint efforts by both countries to fully leverage the India-Nepal tourism potential, particularly by promoting religious and cultural circuits linking Nepal to neighbouring Indian states.
Dinesh Kumar, Joint Director, Uttar Pradesh Tourism, presented on Uttar Pradesh tourism circuits, with special reference to the upcoming Magh Mela, and shared best practices in tourism policy implementation from the state.
In his presentation, Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, provided an overview of Nepal's tourism sector, noting that India is the largest source of foreign tourists to Nepal. He also highlighted various initiatives taken by the Nepal Tourism Board to foster India-Nepal tourism cooperation.
The B2B segment of the meet was attended by about 10 delegates from India and 60 delegates from Nepal. Discussions focused on promoting cross-border tourism, especially via land routes. Tour operators from both countries discussed potential collaboration in areas including Buddhist circuits, wildlife, and adventure tourism.
As part of the programme, the Pokhara Tourism Council and the Nepal Tourism Board organised a familiarisation trip for the delegation from Uttar Pradesh from December 15 to 17, 2025.
The event was graced by Surendra Raj Pandey, Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, as the Chief Guest. In his address, he welcomed the growing tourism cooperation with India, particularly highlighting the potential of Pokhara and Muktinath in promoting cross-border tourism.