Kathmandu, 20 November: The Himalayan region is especially considered to be the tourism of Nepal. Therefore, the choice of most of the tourists entering Nepal are for the highest peak Everest to Annapurna, Langtang and other areas.
In addition, cultural heritage, various pilgrimage sites, tourism capital Pokhara, Kathmandu, Chitwan and Lumbini are also considered as tourist destinations. These areas are also the first choice of domestic and foreign tourists. However, experts say that despite the potential of tourism, the development of tourism in different areas of Terai has not been relatively.
However, tourism professionals in the area have become excited after international flights started operating from Gautam Budh International Airport located in Bhairahawa. Businessmen believe that after international airlines start operating flights, foreign tourists will increase in this area and this will promote regional tourism. According to them, when the flight is operated in Bhairahawa, it will highlight the tourism potential of the Terai region.
Nepal Airlines Corporation (Nepal Airlines) as well as Thai AirAsia, Qatar Airways, Jazeera and Fly Dubai have also started flight operations at Bhairahawa. Due to this, the chaos at Bhairahawa International Airport has increased for a long time.
Maniraj Lamichhan, director of Nepal Tourism Board, expressed his belief that with the operation of international air flights in Bhairahawa, it will help in the promotion of regional tourism. He said, “Direct air flights are being operated from Middle Eastern countries to Bhairahawa, this will gradually help to decentralize the centralized tourism.”
Committee for Terai Tourism
The then Minister of Tourism Sharatsingh Bhandari formed various tourism committees covering the districts from East Mechi to West Mahakali in the Terai region with the aim of promoting Terai tourism.
A ‘Virat Region Tourism Promotion Development Committee’ covering Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari and a tourism committee covering Sirha and Saptari were formed. Similarly, ‘Simraunagadh Tourism Promotion Development Committee’ was formed covering Bara, Parsa and Rautahat districts. ‘Vijaya Mithila Region Tourism Promotion Development Committee’, ‘Lumbini Region Tourism Development Promotion Committee’ and ‘Karnali Region Tourism Development Committee’ covering Banke, Bardia, Kailali and Kanchanpur were formed by connecting Dhanusha, Mahottari.
Top 10 must visit Terai region
The famous international travel site Lonely Planet has listed the Terai region of Nepal as one of the top 10 must-visit places in the world in 2025. Lonely Planet has recently listed Lumbini, Chitwan, Bardia and other areas as must-visit destinations.
“The Terai region of Nepal may not be as famous as the Himalayas or Kathmandu, but these southern Terai regions have great tourism potential. One-horned rhinos are found in Chitwan National Park. Lumbini’s Mayadevi Temple is historic as it is where Lord Buddha was born in 563 BC”, Lolni Planet noted.
The popularity of Chitwan has always made Bardia close, the ‘Wild Wild best’ in the southwestern plains of the Terai is important for tourists and wildlife lovers, he says that tourism activities can be increased in Lumbini, Bardia, Janakpur and other destinations.
“Lonely Planet has listed the Terai region as an excellent destination and coincidentally, since there are international flights from Bhairahawa, this will help in tourism development, especially in regional tourism promotion”, said Lamichhane, director of the board, “This will help in the promotion of new tourist destinations and the tourism development of the country as a whole. Trust is taken.” According to the statistics of the board, 941 thousand 32 foreign tourists have entered Nepal in 10 months of 2024.
Busy international flights
Nepal Airlines is flying to Gautam Buddha International Airport four days a week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Thai AirAsia started commercial flights from last 3rd November. The company has taken flight permission to fly to Bangkok every Monday and Thursday. Qatar Airways has also operated flights. It is flying every day. Fly Dubai is also flying on the Dubai-Bhairahawa-Kathmandu route every day.
Also, Jazeera Air has resumed flights from Bhairahawa. It started flying to Bhairahawa with the inauguration of Gautam Buddha International Airport on 16 May 2022, but after some time it suspended the flight citing technical reasons. Currently, Jazeera is flying Bhairahawa-Kuwait three days a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Pratap Babu Tiwari, General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport, said that in accordance with the government’s action plan to operate two international airports at full capacity, international flights have been operated at Gautam Buddha Airport. According to the airport, the administrative work of immigration, customs, security etc. necessary for the operation of the international airport has been streamlined.
