The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has said it is working to ease cross-border travel for Indian tourists visiting Nepal.

NTB Senior Director Hikmat Singh Ayer said policy-level efforts are underway to promote cross-border tourism by incorporating both religious and adventure travel experiences. He made the remarks during a session on sustainable tourism at the Nepal Festival, held at the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"India is Nepal’s largest source of tourists, so we are focusing on long-term cooperation for tourism promotion," Ayer added.

As part of efforts to ease travel, Indian tourists driving private vehicles via Birgunj can now enter Nepal by showing their digital vehicle registration certificate (RC) at the customs checkpoint. Officials at the Birgunj Customs Office confirmed that entry is being facilitated if the owner's details displayed on their mobile phones are verified online.

However, a widespread rumor that Indian tourists can carry only INR 25,000 while entering Nepal has created confusion and negatively impacted tourism. The issue has prompted tourism entrepreneurs to call on the government to clarify or remove the supposed restriction. The matter has also been raised in Parliament, with some lawmakers demanding amendments to laws related to the currency limit.

Despite the concerns, Nepal Rastra Bank has clarified that there is no legal restriction preventing Indian tourists from bringing more than INR 25,000 into Nepal. Jiwan Prakash Pandey, Information Officer at the central bank’s Provincial Office in Bhairahawa, confirmed that there is no such mandatory provision in place.

The Nepal Festival, jointly organized by the Nepali Embassy and the Everest Chamber of Commerce and Industries, aimed to strengthen cultural and economic ties between the two countries. NTB set up a pavilion at the event, which was attended by dignitaries from both sides. Visitors explored Nepali stalls, sampled local cuisine, and viewed displays of handicrafts and traditional products.

India continues to be Nepal’s top tourist source. In March alone, 21,412 Indian tourists visited Nepal, a figure that does not include those who entered via the open border.  – With inputs from RSS