Tourists coming to Lumbini by land increased

BHAIRAHAWA, April 29:Foreign tourists visiting to Nepal by land have increased significantly. Bhairahawa's Belhiya is located on Nepal and India's major land route. It has been found that most foreign tourists pass through this point. Srichand Gupta,  tourism businessman, and a member of the Society of Tour and Travel Operators (Sotto Nepal) president of Lumbini province, stated that not only foreigners but also many Indian tourists who visit Nepal enter the country through this border.

According to Gupta, there is no data on Indians tourist coming this border, therefore it cannot be argued that a large number of Indians arrived to Nepal. However, it is estimated that over 50,000 Indians cross this border each month to visit various parts of Nepal. However, it is estimated that over 50,000 Indians cross this border each month to visit various parts of Nepal. He stated that only the data of Indian tourists arriving at Tribhuvan Airport will be updated, but no data of tourists visiting Nepal by land will be updated, making it impossible to determine how many Indian tourists visited Nepal by land.

According to Chandrakash Shrestha, president of the Siddharth Hotel Association and a central member of HAN, the main tourist destinations for Indian tourists arriving by land are Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace, Pokhara, Muktinath, Kathmandu, Chitwan, and Palpa, while many Indians visit Bhairahawa and its surroundings to enjoy the casino. According to Shrestha, Indian tourists come to enjoy the casino and food. According to the Lumbini Development Trust, almost 70,000 Indian visitors have visited Lumbini in only the previous three months.

According to Dilip Kulung, an employee of the trust's information division, 19 thousand 36 Indian tourists came to Lumbini in January 2024, 20 thousand 400 in February, and 30 thousand 670 in March. To facilitate the trip of Indian tourists entering Nepal by land, the amount of rupees that they can bring has been increased; if they exceed it, they will be detained for possessing illicit money in Nepal. According to Shrestha, Indian visitors will visit Nepal more frequently if all of the work is done at the customs point and no additional checks are required.