‘सिल्भर ट्रयाङ्गल
GANDAKI, Oct 13.
A joint initiative has been advanced to promote tourism under the “Silver Triangle” concept, integrating the country’s major tourist destinations: Pokhara, Bharatpur, and Lumbini. The three local levels—Pokhara Metropolitan City in Kaski, Bharatpur Metropolitan City in Chitwan, and Lumbini Cultural Municipality in Rupandehi—have taken steps to implement a previously signed agreement aimed at tourism promotion, development, sharing of best practices, and mutual cooperation.
As part of this initiative, Bharatpur Metropolitan City hosted an interaction program on Monday among stakeholders in Bharatpur to gather feedback and discuss future action plans for the “Silver Triangle” tourism promotion. Mayors, representatives, administrators, private sector leaders, and tourism entrepreneurs from all three local levels expressed a shared commitment to developing and promoting these destinations, which hold high religious and tourism significance.
During the interaction, Narayan Prasad Adhikari, Chief of the District Coordination Committee in Chitwan, stated that tourism promotion should connect Pokhara with adventure, Bharatpur with nature, and Lumbini with culture. He emphasized that alongside building tourism infrastructure, cleanliness and environmental hygiene must also be prioritized.
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya stated that the “Silver Triangle” concept was introduced to strengthen the economies of all three cities through tourism. He noted that in accordance with the agreement signed between the three local levels last May, promotional programs have been incorporated into municipal policies, plans, and budgets.
“We must now move forward with concrete and tangible business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-government (G2G) cooperation,” Mayor Acharya said. “We must emphasize expanding connectivity and tourist services so that tourists entering Nepal can visit Pokhara, Chitwan, and Lumbini simultaneously.”
Acting Mayor of Lumbini Cultural Municipality, Kalpana Harijan, stressed the need to encourage private sector investment for tourism development. She called for joint efforts to ensure the sustainable operation of both Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport.
Gopi Bhattarai, Coordinator of the Pokhara Visit Year 2025–2026, highlighted the importance of public-private cooperation in tourism promotion. Noting that recent natural disasters have impacted tourism, he asserted that a clear message must be sent to the global community that Nepal is open and safe.
Hari Bhujel, President of the Pokhara Tourism Council, stated that plans must be formulated to extend the length of stay for tourists. Chiranjibi Subedi, President of the Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the need to focus particularly on expanding business networks and marketing across the three local levels.
Santosh Pokharel, Executive Member of the Nepal Tourism Board, underlined the importance of digital marketing for tourist destinations. Bharatpur Metropolitan City Acting Chief Chitra Sen Adhikari remarked that cooperation and partnerships are essential for promoting all three destinations linked to Nepal’s identity. He announced that a “Silver Triangle” Tourism Fair (Travel Mart) will be organized soon.
According to the agreement signed on June 9, the three local levels will alternate hosting an annual “Silver Triangle Tourism Fair (Travel Mart)”, conduct business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-government (G2G) meetings as necessary, and launch joint tourism promotion and market expansion campaigns.
The agreement also includes provisions for producing and distributing joint brochures, videos, and digital materials for tourism promotion. A plan to establish digital information boards was also incorporated into the agreement, under which a digital information board installed on the premises of Bharatpur Metropolitan City was inaugurated on Monday.
Furthermore, the agreement encompasses fostering cooperation and expanding networks among tourism entrepreneurs, hotels, travel agencies, and local communities; conducting cultural, educational, and tourism exchange programs; and coordinating with local, provincial, and federal governments, the Nepal Tourism Board, and development partner organizations for tourism promotion. It has been stated that an integrated tourist package covering all three destinations will be developed.
—RSS
