Himal Press 
Members from a travel delegation from Varanasi, India, at a photo call in Lumbini.
BUTWAL: Tourism entrepreneurs from Lumbini and Varanasi, India, have signed a B2B agreement to promote religious and cultural tourism between the two countries.
Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, while Varanasi is the gateway to one of Buddha’s four principal pilgrimage sites, Sarnath, where the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon after his enlightenment.
The Lumbini Hotel Association Nepal and the Varanasi Tourism Guild signed a five-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lumbini on Wednesday. Lumbini Hotel Association Nepal President Lilamani Sharma and Varanasi Tourism Guild President Subhash Kapoor signed the agreement on behalf of their respective associations.
The agreement includes a provision to encourage Indian pilgrims and tourists visiting Lumbini to stay at least one night in the area. At a time when there has been criticism over the short stay of tourists coming from India in Lumbini, the agreement has raised some hopes among Lumbini’s travel trade people.
Similarly, both sides have agreed to coordinate and initiate efforts with their respective federal, provincial, and local governments to develop the Karidaha–Kakarahawa border point as a major tourist gateway to Lumbini. The MoU also states that the two sides will make joint efforts to resume direct bus services between Lumbini and Varanasi that existed around four decades ago. Additionally, they have also expressed commitment to explore the possibility of expanding transport services linking Lumbini with major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India.
Both organizations have also agreed to jointly develop and promote tourism packages that include Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal and Hindu as well as Buddhist religious sites in India.
The agreement was reached during a travel mart organized in Lumbini with the objective of promoting tourism by linking the spiritual significance of the birthplace of the Buddha with Varanasi.
According to Lumbini Hotel Association President Lilamani Sharma, the event saw participation from around 40 travel and tour operators and hoteliers from Varanasi, as well as Delhi, Lucknow and Bodh Gaya. The travel mart, which began on Monday afternoon, concluded on Wednesday.
Lumbini has 83 hotels and restaurants, ranging from four-star to budget-friendly establishments.
