NICCI organises Roadshow in Varanasi

 Kathmandu, Jan. 31

Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NICCI) organised 'Nepal Varanasi Roadshow' at The Clark Varanasi Hotel in Varanasi India recently. 

The Roadshow organised in association with Nepal Tourism Board and Buddha Air aims to promote Nepali Tourism inviting more tourists from India. 

"Events like the 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," NICCI said in a statement.

The Varanasi roadshow is therefore seen as an important step toward attracting more Indian tourists to Nepal in the days ahead, it said.

Vice President of NICCI 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.

He 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.

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," he said.

Officiating Director, of Nepal Tourism Board Sunil Sharma elaborated about the Nepal by presenting three words – Mystery, History and Hospitality- in case of 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," he said.

Likewise, industrialist Binod Kumar Chaudhary highlighted the possibilities and offerings of Nepal which is very much rare in any other countries have and that is what Nepal has to promote.

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.

According to NICCI, 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.

As recent data shows that Nepal welcomed approximately 1.15 million tourists in year 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.

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.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 February 2026.