Nepal seeks deeper tourism, people links with Bangladesh

Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari has emphasised the importance of boosting tourism and strengthening people-to-people ties to further deepen bilateral relations between Nepal and Bangladesh.

Speaking at the Nepal-Bangladesh Tourism Meet held in Chattogram on Wednesday evening, Ambassador Bhandari called for enhanced cooperation to “truly connect the heights of the Himalayas with the depths of the Bay of Bengal,” while praising the growing partnership between the two neighbours.

Organised under the theme “Destination Nepal: From the Bay of Bengal to the Himalayas”, the event was hosted by the Embassy of Nepal in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board.

The ambassador outlined his government’s ongoing efforts to develop tourism infrastructure and acknowledged the vital role of travel and tour operators in promoting Nepal as a premier travel destination.

Rohini Prasad Khanal, Director of Tourism Marketing and Promotion at the Nepal Tourism Board, showcased Nepal’s diverse tourism attractions and urged Bangladeshi tour operators and travel agents to strengthen collaborative efforts. He identified Bangladesh as one of Nepal’s key source markets and expressed optimism for increased tourist arrivals.

Renowned Bangladeshi mountaineer Babar Ali, who scaled Mount Everest in 2024 and recently summited Mount Annapurna, shared his trekking experiences in Nepal, inspiring participants with his first-hand account of Himalayan adventures.

The event featured vibrant Nepali folk cultural performances by Nepalese students studying in Chattogram, alongside a raffle draw that included tour packages and round-trip air tickets on the Dhaka-Kathmandu route.

Earlier in the day, business-to-business (B2B) and networking sessions were held between visiting Nepali tourism operators and Bangladeshi travel industry stakeholders.

The Nepali delegation included officials from the Nepal Tourism Board and representatives from 13 leading travel and tour companies. Over 120 participants from Bangladeshi tourism organisations, including ATAB, TOAB, hotels, airlines, and other stakeholders, took part in the day-long programme.