NEW DELHI: Amid growing instability in global tourism and disruptions to international air routes caused by escalating tensions in West Asia, the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) has concluded a tourism promotion campaign in India aimed at boosting high-value travel and wedding tourism to Nepal.
In coordination with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi, HAN organized the “Nepal Destination Wedding and OTAs Connect” in New Delhi on April 28–29 as part of efforts to position Nepal as a premium wedding destination for the Indian market.
The event, held at The Lalit in Connaught Place, brought together more than 30 leading Nepali hotels, Indian wedding planners, online travel agencies and tourism stakeholders. Organizers said the initiative marked a strategic push to attract high-spending Indian travelers and expand Nepal’s tourism appeal beyond traditional leisure travel.
Officials promoted Nepal as a destination offering cultural heritage, natural landscapes and luxury hospitality for destination weddings and large-scale events.
India remains Nepal’s largest source market for foreign tourists. Nepal recorded 1,158,451 international tourist arrivals in 2025, of which 292,438- or 25.2 percent -were Indian visitors.
Tourism officials said expanding wedding tourism in India could help increase year-round visitor arrivals and strengthen Nepal’s position as a regional hub for luxury and culturally immersive travel experiences.
Moving beyond standard sales pitches, the mission was led by HAN’s top brass, including President Binayak Shah and Vice President Shariq Ahmad Lari, a presence that allowed for high-level negotiations regarding MICE corridors, charter flight logistics, and the alignment of Nepal’s luxury inventory with India’s peak matrimonial seasons.
The three-day itinerary was designed with the precision of a state visit, beginning with an exclusive evening dedicated to the wedding economy on April 28. This focused approach allowed hoteliers to engage directly with pre-registered wedding planners and online travel agencies. By the second day, the momentum shifted to a wider B2B networking floor and the formal “Nepal Night,” an event attended by representatives from the Embassy of Nepal and the Nepal Tourism Board.
Industry sentiment from the floor suggested that Nepal is no longer viewed as a mere leisure footnote, but as a premier, fully programmed alternative to the traditional wedding circuits that have long dominated the Indian outbound market.
A central pillar of the Delhi conversations was the representation of The Everest Hotel, Kathmandu. Shariq Ahmad Lari, who serves as both the Vice President of HAN and the Managing Director of Hotel Everest International Ltd., anchored the strategic discussions by briefing Indian partners on the city’s evolving room-night calendar and his property’s specialized banquet capabilities.
On the sales front, Associate Director of Sales Rasana Shakya and Assistant Sales Manager Leela Maya Basnet executed the groundwork, holding back-to-back appointments in Regency Hall to secure corporate and luxury accounts.
