Kathmandu: Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board, Hikmat Singh Air, has said that the objective of organizing Madhesh Travel Mart 2026 is to introduce the tourism products of all eight districts of Madhesh Province to the Indian tourism market. Emphasizing the importance of Nepal and India’s open border, shared religious and cultural heritage, and strong people-to-people ties, he stated that such initiatives could play a significant role in increasing tourist arrivals from India.
Addressing the inaugural session of Madhesh Travel Mart 2026 in Birgunj, Air said, “Targeting India’s regional tourism market, we have been organizing various travel marts from east to west. We believe these programs will also help protect and promote the substantial tourism investments made by the private sector in the Tarai and mid-hill regions.”
This marks the third tourism-focused event in Madhesh Province, following the Madhesh Conclave and Madhesh Travel Meet. Air added, “Through this edition of Madhesh Travel Mart, we expect to showcase the tourism offerings of all eight districts of Madhesh Province to Indian travel businesses and contribute to increasing Indian tourist arrivals.”
According to Uday Bhattarai, Senior Manager at the Nepal Tourism Board, Madhesh Travel Mart 2026 was organized with the objective of promoting tourism in Madhesh Province, expanding Nepal–India cross-border tourism, and strengthening tourism business collaboration between the two countries. The event was held across Birgunj, Jeetpursimara, Janakpurdham, and other locations.
The event was organized by the Nepal Tourism Board in collaboration with Jeetpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City, while the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) Madhesh Province facilitated the program. Bhattarai noted that the initiative would help establish Madhesh Province as one of Nepal’s key tourism gateways and a major destination for religious, cultural, and cross-border tourism.
Held from June 12 to 14, the travel mart featured business-to-business (B2B) meetings between Nepali and Indian tourism entrepreneurs, panel discussions on contemporary tourism issues, networking sessions, and familiarization tours showcasing the major religious, cultural, natural, and tourism attractions of Madhesh Province.
These activities are expected to strengthen professional ties between tourism stakeholders from Nepal and India while identifying new opportunities for tourism packages and investment.
The event brought together around 55 tourism entrepreneurs and media representatives from India, alongside 25 tourism professionals from various provinces of Nepal, including Madhesh Province, local government representatives, and stakeholders from the tourism sector.
Speaking at a program in Simara, Jeetpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Rajan Poudel expressed confidence that such initiatives would significantly contribute to the promotion of tourism in Madhesh Province. He reaffirmed the commitment of local governments to connecting the tourism potential of border regions with international markets.
The event also saw the participation of Jeetpursimara Deputy Mayor Bhola Prasad Adhikari, Consul General of India Devi Sahay Meena, Madhesh Travel Mart 2026 Coordinator and NATTA Madhesh Province President Mohan Sharma, NATTA Koshi Province President Punya Prasad Bhattarai, Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) Chitwan President Om Pandey, and several other distinguished personalities from the tourism industry.
