Number of tourists coming to Lumbini by land growing

Laxman Poudel,Bhairahawa, Apr. 26: The number of tourists entering Nepal through the Belahiya border in Rupandehi has increased recently. 

The data regarding Indian tourists arriving by land has not been maintained properly but there has been an increase in the movement of Indian tourists, said Srichand Gupta, a tourism entrepreneur and Chairman of the Society of Tour and Travel Operators (SOTTO).

The Belahiya border is the primary entry point for tourists into Nepal by land. The majority of foreign tourists, using their passports, enter through this checkpoint.

“Since there is no proper documentation of Indians arriving through this border, it cannot be definitively said how many Indians have entered Nepal. However, in the last three months alone, it is estimated that over 50,000 Indians have traveled to various destinations in Nepal through this border,” Gupta said.

Pukar Shrestha, Information Officer of the Immigration Office in Belahiya, said that tourist arrivals, which halted due to COVID-19, are gradually growing.

According to Shrestha, in February 2024, 14,125 foreign tourists visited Nepal through this crossing, and in March, this number increased to 17,214.

According to him, 11,668 tourists arrived from Thailand during January, February, and March, while 8,986 came from Sri Lanka, 6,915 from Myanmar, 2,155 from South Korea and 2,419 from Vietnam through the Belahiya border crossing the border.

According to the Lumbini Development Trust, 42,474 foreign nationals visited Lumbini in the first three months of 2024. Despite the influx of numerous foreign and Indian tourists visiting Lumbini, their stays typically last only for one night. Even when tourists lodge in Bihar within vicinity of Lumbini, tourism business in the Lumbini area has not significantly benefited, said Gobinda Gyawali, President of the Lumbini Hotel Association.

The Lumbini Development Trust has said that the number of Indian tourists who visited Lumbini in the last three months alone is more than 70,000. 

Haridhwaj Rai, information officer of the Trust, said that Lumbini saw 19,360 Indian tourists in January 2024, 20,489 in February, and 30,670 in March, choosing it as their tourist destination.

Chandra Prakash (CP) Shrestha, President of the Siddhartha Hotel Association and a central member of the Hotel Association Nepal, said that the primary destinations for Indian tourists arriving by land are Lumbini (the birthplace of Buddha), Pokhara, Muktinath, Kathmandu, Chitwan, and Palpa. Many Indians visit Bhairahawa and its surroundings to have casino experience.

Shrestha said, “If Indian tourists traveling to Nepal by land face fewer hassles during their journey and can move smoothly within Nepal without encountering multiple checkpoints, with all necessary procedures completed right at the customs point, we can expect a higher influx of Indian tourists to Nepal.”