The Nepal India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) is organizing its first-ever Nepal Tourism Roadshow in Varanasi on January 30, marking an important milestone in strengthening tourism cooperation and people-to-people ties between Nepal and India.
A Nepal delegation comprising over a dozen members arrived in Varanasi on Friday to participate in the roadshow. The delegation is led by NICCI Immediate Past President (IPP) Sirjana Rana and includes Vice President Kunal Kayal, Executive Member Shasikant Agrawal, along with prominent travel and tourism operators and hoteliers from Nepal.
The roadshow aims to position Nepal as a preferred travel destination for Indian tourists, particularly from eastern Uttar Pradesh and surrounding regions. Through direct engagement with local travel trade stakeholders, the initiative will showcase Nepal’s diverse tourism offerings, including pilgrimage and spiritual tourism, adventure travel, wellness, cultural heritage, and hospitality.
Varanasi, a major spiritual and cultural center with deep historical and religious links to Nepal, was selected as the venue for NICCI’s inaugural tourism-focused roadshow in India. NICCI officials noted that the city’s strong spiritual connection makes it an ideal platform to promote cross-border tourism collaboration.
A key highlight of the event will be the launch of the book “Religious and Spiritual Circuit of Nepal and India,” which highlights shared spiritual heritage and pilgrimage routes between the two countries. The book describes Ramayan Circuit, Shiva and Shakta Circuit, Buddha Circuit and Sikh circuit among others.
The roadshow will also feature a Keynote address by industrilaist and chairman of Chaudhary Group Binod Chaudhary, the only Nepali billionaire listed by Forbes.
More than eight dozen Indian travel and tourism organizations, along with members of the business community, are expected to participate in the event.
The initiative is expected to foster business-to-business networking, explore new avenues of collaboration between tourism stakeholders of both countries, and contribute to increased tourist inflow to Nepal in the coming seasons.
Along other major spiritual and religious connectivity, connecting Kasi Bishwonath with Pashupatinath, and Sarnath with Lumbini is the key goal of the roadshow, according to NICCI president Sunil KC. “This initiative reflects our shared commitment to promoting the rich cultural, religious, and spiritual heritage of both Nepal and India, while deepening cross-border collaboration.”
The Varanasi Roadshow is being organized by NICCI in coordination with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Buddha Air, and Nepali Embassy in New Delhi.
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