The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI), in association with the Nepal Tourism Board and Buddha Air, has concluded the Nepal–Varanasi Roadshow at The Clark Varanasi Hotel in India, aiming to promote Nepal as a key pilgrimage and tourism destination for Indian travellers.

India remains Nepal’s largest source of tourist arrivals, but stakeholders say there is significant potential to attract more visitors, encourage longer stays and increase repeat travel. In 2025, Nepal welcomed just over one million tourists for the third time since the pandemic, recording a marginal year-on-year growth of one percent. However, arrivals from India have been declining.

Organisers said promotional initiatives such as the Nepal–Varanasi roadshow are expected to play an important role in boosting pilgrimage tourism. The campaign seeks to encourage Hindu pilgrims to include Nepal in the Char Dham Yatra by visiting the Pashupatinath Temple, while also promoting Lumbini as the birthplace of Gautam Buddha to strengthen Buddhist pilgrimage tourism.

NICCI Vice President Kunal Kayal highlighted that Nepal–India relations extend beyond geography and commerce, and are deeply rooted in shared spiritual and cultural ties, linking sacred sites such as Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and Pashupatinath in Kathmandu.