Village Tourism Mart promotes local culture

Kathmandu, May 2

The ‘Village Tourism Mart 2083’ has formally begun in Bandipur, a famous hill station in Tanahun district, from Friday.

The four-day event, organised with the aim of promoting rural tourism in the international market and fostering sustainable tourism development linked with local communities, was inaugurated by the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Yashoda Rimal.

Prior to the formal inauguration, a rally was held in the Bandipur market area with participation from 19 homestays representing 11 districts of Gandaki Province, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) informed.

The rally featured tableaux, reflecting local art, culture and tourism identity.

The event saw notable participation from domestic and international tourism entrepreneurs, various stakeholders, media personnel and the local community.

Minister Rimal expressed confidence that the tourism mart in Bandipur would promote local art and culture while also increasing employment and income generation. “Only when villages become strong can the foundation for overall prosperity be established. Tourism is a key basis for strengthening villages, and it is essential to connect local communities with tourism,” she said.

CEO of the NTB Deepak Raj Joshi, said that community-based tourism has been gaining momentum worldwide in recent times and emphasised that Nepal must enhance its preparedness to benefit from this trend. He said, “There is a need to pass on our traditional skills and knowledge to the new generation.”

Chairperson of Bandipur Rural Municipality, Surendra Bahadur Thapa, said that the mart was organised to promote the village’s art, culture and tourism. “This programme will play a significant role in further promoting Bandipur’s hilltop tourism,” he said, adding that the ‘Village Safari’ has also played an important role in bringing tourists to homestays and linking rural tourism circuits.

During the event, it was announced that next year’s ‘Village Tourism Mart’ will be held in Gorkha, and Bandipur formally handed over the flag to Gorkha Municipality.

Receiving the flag, Mayor Krishna Bahadur Rana Magar of Gorkha Municipality expressed his commitment to making the next edition successful. “Historic Gorkha has somewhat faded from prominence; the Village Tourism Mart will help bring it back into the spotlight,” he said, inviting everyone to visit Gorkha.

Shobha Sapkota, chairperson of the Village Tourism Promotion Forum, Gandaki province, expressed her belief that the event will take rural tourism to new heights.

As part of the four-day programme, familiarisation visits were conducted on Wednesday and Thursday to areas including the Rumsi Community Homestay and Ramkot Community Homestay in Ward No. 14 of Byas Municipality, Tanahun.

For the first time in Nepal, a rural observation tour was organised through a safari. A team led by local tourism entrepreneur Basanta Paudel welcomed visitors on the first day and facilitated visits to local homestays. On the second day, tours of major tourist sites in Bandipur and a cultural evening were organised.

With the formal inauguration on Friday, B2B meetings and networking sessions have also been conducted, with expectations of opening new avenues for tourism business expansion and collaboration. The programme will conclude on Saturday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 May 2026.