JHAPA: The third edition of the Cross-Border Tourism Conclave Jhapa-2026, jointly organised by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Tourism Office Kakarbhitta, concluded on Friday at Hotel Mechi Crown in Jhapa, with participants calling for stronger Nepal-India collaboration, policy reforms, and improved infrastructure and service quality to unlock the full potential of cross-border tourism.

The conclave brought together policymakers, tourism stakeholders, and industry experts from both countries, including 60 tourism entrepreneurs from India, to discuss practical strategies for expanding tourism through joint market promotion and better connectivity.

Sunil Sharma, Acting Director at the Nepal Tourism Board, said the continuity of the conclave has contributed to decentralising tourism activities beyond Kathmandu and reaffirmed the Board's commitment to integrating cross-border tourism into national planning frameworks. Senior Manager Surya Thapaliya acknowledged that Nepal has been slow to recognise the full potential of cross-border tourism, noting that Indian tourists remain the country's largest source market with annual arrivals estimated to exceed three million — though precise figures are difficult to capture given the open border.

Koshi Province Assembly Member Gopal Tamang flagged the government's inability to effectively utilise the allocated budget for the Koshi Visit Year campaign, stressing that positioning Jhapa as a tourism hub would require service improvements, attractive travel packages, and timely policy interventions alongside a shift toward more tourist-friendly attitudes.

Chief of the Immigration Office Kakarbhitta, Tulsi Bhattarai, said 1,005 foreign tourists entered Nepal via the Kakarbhitta border in Falgun alone, with a total of 6,791 foreign visitors recorded from Shrawan to Falgun and expectations of reaching 9,000 by the end of the fiscal year. He also encouraged Indian tour operators to route more international tourists into Nepal.

Samrat Sanjyal, General Secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN), observed that Nepal and India have rarely promoted themselves jointly in international forums over the past decade, calling on both governments to remove policy barriers, ease cross-border movement, and work collectively toward tourism-friendly policies.

Participants identified the under-construction Asian Highway network as a potential game-changer for regional connectivity, and stressed the need for a single-window mechanism for tax and fee payments, streamlined border checks, expanded road networks, digital systems, and a more consistent standard of service delivery.

A key outcome of the conclave was the signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between Tourism Network Jhapa and HHTDN India, covering regional tourism promotion, cross-border tourism expansion, exchange programmes, and joint advocacy for policy reform.

The event also featured video presentations showcasing tourism potential in Bihar, Sikkim, and West Bengal alongside destinations in Koshi Province, and a photo exhibition highlighting key tourist attractions of the region.