Cross-Border Tourism Conclave in Jhapa Focuses on Nepal-India Cooperation

KATHMANDU. The third edition of the "Cross-Border Tourism Conclave Jhapa-2026," jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Tourism Office in Kakarbhitta, emphasized the promotion of cross-border tourism, policy reforms, and strengthening Nepal-India collaboration.

During the event held on Friday, speakers highlighted the need for practical improvements, infrastructure development, and joint market promotion to expand tourism. Chief guest and Koshi Province Assembly member Gopal Tamang stated that cross-border tourism has contributed significantly to the promotion of the province.

He remarked, "This conclave has contributed to further promoting Koshi Province. However, it is unfortunate that we have not been able to implement the budget allocated by the government for the Koshi Visit Year."

He emphasized that developing Jhapa as a tourism hub requires service improvements, attractive packages, and policy reforms. "We can increase tourist arrivals if we change our perspective and stop harassing or causing inconvenience to visitors," he added.

Nepal Tourism Board Acting Director Sunil Sharma noted that the continuity of this conclave has helped in the decentralization of tourism. "We are excited to reach the third edition. We are organizing such events to bring tourism out of Kathmandu-centric focus," he said. Sharma also committed to taking initiatives to include cross-border tourism in the National Planning Commission's plans.

Kakarbhitta Immigration Office Chief Tulsi Bhattarai stated that the immigration office is always ready to facilitate border crossings. "We are providing services from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Indian immigration point," he said.

According to him, 1,005 foreign tourists entered Nepal through the Kakarbhitta border in the month of Falgun alone. "From Shrawan to Falgun, 6,791 foreign guests have arrived, and we expect the number to reach 9,000 this year," he said. Bhattarai also urged Indian tourism entrepreneurs to send foreign tourists to visit Nepal.

Nepal Tourism Board Senior Manager Surya Thapaliya emphasized the importance of collaboration, noting that stakeholders were slow to understand cross-border tourism. "We understood cross-border tourism late, so today we are still learning about its dimensions. Tourism development is not possible without cooperation and coordination," he said.

He mentioned that Indian tourists are a major source market for Nepal, adding, "More than 3 million Indian tourists visit Nepal, but due to the open border, there is no formal data." Thapaliya also stated that our behavior must be tourist-friendly for cross-border tourism development. He stressed the need to promote destinations outside Kathmandu, including Koshi Province.

Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN) General Secretary Samrat Sanyal pointed out the need for Nepal and India to jointly develop tourism products.

He said, "Looking at the tourism activities of the last 10 years, it does not appear that Nepal and India have been jointly promoted on international platforms. However, the Cross-Border Tourism Conclave is the only platform where Nepal and India are promoted together."

He suggested that both countries should collaborate to make border movement easier and remove policy obstacles. "This is a time for unity, and for this, we must work together to pressure policymakers in both countries to create tourism promotion policies," he added.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Koshi Province) President Rishi Raj Timilsina stated that the conclave has had a positive impact on regional tourism development. "Organized for the past three years, this conclave has played a significant role in tourism development," he said. He mentioned that new packages are needed to extend the stay of tourists and noted that private sector investment is increasing.

The program featured video presentations on tourism potential in Bihar, Sikkim, and West Bengal (India) and Koshi Province (Nepal). Additionally, in an interaction titled "Cross-Border Tourism: Opportunities and Challenges," experts including Nepal Tourism Board Senior Manager Surya Thapaliya, HHTDN General Secretary Samrat Sanyal, and tourism entrepreneur Kesari Gurung discussed structural, policy, and infrastructure aspects of cross-border tourism.

During the discussion, the under-construction Asian Highway Network was described as a 'game-changer' infrastructure for expanding regional connectivity, with the belief that its effective use would bring a qualitative increase in Nepal-India tourism flow.

Speakers emphasized simplifying tax and fee payment processes through a single-window system, organizing various inspection processes at the border, and maintaining uniformity in service delivery. Furthermore, it was suggested that expanding Nepal's road network, developing quality infrastructure, using digital systems, and improving tourist-friendly behavior should be prioritized.

During the conclave, a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed and exchanged between the Tourism Network Jhapa and India's HHTDN for the promotion of tourist destinations and sustainable tourism development in both countries. Through this MoU, an agreement was reached to take initiatives in their respective countries for regional tourism promotion, expansion of cross-border tourism, conducting experience-sharing programs, and policy reforms.

The event saw the participation of 60 tourism entrepreneurs from India. Additionally, a photo exhibition of tourist destinations in Koshi Province was also held.