Second Buddhist Int'l Travel Mart concluded

LUMBINI, May 15:The Second International Buddhist Travel Mart-2023 has concluded with a seven-point declaration issued here.

The proclamation emphasized the importance of developing and expanding connections via the Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Pokhara International Airport, as well as expanding the Buddha Circuit in four sacred locations: Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sharnath, and Kushinagar.

It also intends to prioritize international networking and tourism-related activities, as well as to create a unified package that promotes Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha (Shakyamuni) and the origin of peace, as the gateway to the Buddha Circuit and a destination for peace.

It also agreed to hold the Third International Buddhist Travel Mart on March 24, 2024. The three-day mart was organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), the Lumbini Development Trust, and the Nepal Airlines Corporation, with the goal of attracting tourists to Lumbini.

According to NTB executive chief Dr Dhananjaya Regmi, the event was expected to establish Lumbini as a destination for Buddhist visitors, as well as to do branding and exhibition of local products and activities in the international market.  He expressed hope that the presence of buyers and dealers from various nations at the event will boost Lumbini's tourism.

"Lumbini is a popular destination for Buddhist tourists." "This event is expected to revitalize COVID-19-damaged tourism while also highlighting the significance of Lumbini," he said.

Similarly, Lumbini University dean Dr Manik Ratna Shakya expressed his hope that the mart would assist propagate Buddhist philosophy and publicize the area.

Other speakers, including tourism expert Prof Dr Himlal Ghimire, NATTA President Ramesh Thapa, and Senior Vice President Pramod Dahal, said the event was intended to make the country's tourist sector more vibrant.

Participants at the Mart included representatives from 28 different travel and tour operators from Nepal, India, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. On this occasion, a number of working papers on Buddhism, Buddhism-related travel, and Buddhism were presented.