June 2025
The 15th annual convention of the Tour Operators Association of Assam, held in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, emphasized deepening tourism cooperation and unlocking the significant, yet largely untapped, potential for cross-border tourism between Assam (India) and Bhutan. Tourism representatives from both regions met to develop a joint strategy, with a particular focus on promoting Bhutan’s underexplored eastern circuit.
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Tags: Bhutan, India, Tourism
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May 2025
The Indian Association of Tour Operators and the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents signed a Memorandum of Understanding to increase two-way tourism flows between India and Nepal. By fostering closer ties among tour operators, India and Nepal aim to offer a seamless and enriched experience for international visitors.
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Tags: India, Nepal, Tourism
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October 2024
The ADB has approved a loan worth $162 million to support sustainable and inclusive tourism development in Himachal Pradesh, India.
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Tags: ADB, India, Jobs, Tourism
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August 2024
Mr. Masood Imad, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka, emphasized the importance of collaboration between Maldives and Sri Lanka in promoting tourism and strengthening economic ties during the 16th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Maldives Business Council.
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Tags: Economic cooperation, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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April 2024
The third round of Foreign Office Consultations between the governments of Bangladesh and Nepal, reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction with the countries' excellent state of affairs. The meeting agreed to promote cooperation in various sectors, including trade, commerce, transit, connectivity, power, energy, and tourism.
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Tags: Bangladesh, Energy, Nepal, Regional Cooperation, Tourism, Trade, Transport
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March 2024
Bhutan officials have selected a master plan by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for building a new runway for the Gelephu Airport. Under the master plan, a new 3,000-meter-long runway will be built at around 50 to 60 meters above the current runway. The master plan provides an option to extend the runway in the future to 3,500 meters.
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Tags: ADB, Bhutan, India, Tourism, Transport
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January 2024
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe , held talks on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Uganda. They discussed issues of bilateral interests.
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Tags: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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October 2023
The passenger ferry service from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India, to Kankesanthurao, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, was inaugurated on 14 October 2023. It is expected to bring the two nations closer together and benefit local traders of both countries, boost tourism, and increase people-to-people relations.
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Tags: India, Shipping, Sri Lanka, Tourism, Transport
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June 2023
The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh received a visit from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). In a business-to-business network session, both sides discussed the promotion of tourism between both countries, remarking that historical and cultural links can be tapped. Sri Lanka aims to increase the number of visitors from Bangladesh to around 25,000 visitors by the end of this year.
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Tags: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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June 2023
Bhutan has rolled out a scheme that lowers the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) for tourists who stay more than four nights in the country in a bid to further attract more visitors and entice them to stay longer. Under the new rules, tourists who pay the SDF for four days are allowed to stay an extra four days, while those who pay 12 days are allowed to stay for a full month.
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Tags: Bhutan, Tourism
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June 2023
Cordelia Express, the first luxury cruise ship between India and Sri Lanka, was flagged off on 5 June 2023 from Chennai Port, India. It set sail for Hambantota Port, Sri Lanka, and Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, and sailed back to Chennai on 9 June. Mr. Jurgen Bailom, Chief Executive Officer of the Cordelia Express, noted that the cruise ship is set to carry 50,000 passengers from India to Sri Lanka in the next four months.
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Tags: India, Sri Lanka, Tourism, Transport
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April 2023
The Governments of India and Nepal have agreed to allow Indian tourists in Nepal to make digital payments using Indian e-wallets. Mr. Naveen Srivastava, India’s Ambassador to Nepal, stated that the proposed agreement would help boost Nepal’s travel and tourism industry.
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Tags: India, Nepal, Tourism
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February 2023
Mr. Milinda Moragoda, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, met with Mr. Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector. He also held discussions with Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India, and Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of the Government of India, on a range of issues, including bilateral trade and commerce.
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Tags: India, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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January 2023
Mr. S. Jaishnakar, External Affairs Minister of the Government of India, met with Mr. Ali Sabry, Foreign Minister of the Government of Sri Lanka. They discussed cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, energy, industry, and health.
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Tags: Energy, India, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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January 2023
A special tour will be operated by the Indian Railways showcasing pilgrimage sites in Ayodhya, India, and Janakpur, Nepal, in February. The "Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train” is an initiative that will strengthen bilateral relations and promote cultural relations between India and Nepal, according to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Railways.
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Tags: India, Nepal, Tourism, Transport
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November 2022
Mr. Gopal Baglay, Indian High Commissioner, and Mr. Vidura Wickramanayaka, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka, met to discuss the implementation of a $15 million grant by the Government of India to promote Buddhist ties and support the operations of the Jaffna Cultural Center (JCC) in Sri Lanka.
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Tags: India, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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September 2022
Bhutan reopened its borders to tourists on 23 September 2022. Bhutan’s reopening comes with a renewed focus on tourism sustainability, with priority placed on (i) upgrading infrastructure and services, (ii) elevation of tourists’ experiences, and (iii) maintaining carbon-neutral tourism.
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Tags: Bhutan, India, Tourism, Trade
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August 2022
Officials of the Governments of Bangladesh and Nepal attended a luncheon hosted by Mr. Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh. The event emphasized increasing collaboration between Bangladesh and Nepal in sectors such as hydropower, tourism, connectivity, trade, and people-to-people linkages.
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Tags: Bangladesh, Energy, Nepal, Tourism, Trade
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August 2022
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s visit to India highlighted the growth in people-to-people ties between India and Maldives. India has become the top source for Maldives' tourism market. According to the press release, implementation of visa-free travel, improved air connectivity, exchange programs, and promoting cultural and economic linkages helped boost tourism.
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Tags: Connectivity, India, Maldives, Tourism
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April 2021
Experts discussed unique opportunities in river tourism between Bangladesh and India at a public-private dialogue on India-Bangladesh cross-border tourism and cruise operations organized by CUTS International on 29 April 2021.
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Tags: Bangladesh, India, Inland waterways, Tourism, Transport
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January 2021
India and Sri Lanka are looking forward to cooperating post-COVID-19, underscored Mr. Jaishankar during his visit to Sri Lanka. He noted that many opportunities are in discussion, such as special zones for pharmaceutical manufacturing and tourism. There were also proposals in infrastructure, energy, and connectivity. He also stressed that the Indian business community is strongly interested in investing in Sri Lanka.
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Tags: Energy, India, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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December 2020
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a project readiness financing (PRF) facility worth $4.21 million for the Tripura Urban and Tourism Development Project. The Government of India will provide complementary financing of $1.05 million. The PRF will support the state government of Tripura in preparing infrastructure development projects that will upgrade the state’s urban amenities and boost its tourism infrastructure.
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Tags: ADB, India, Tourism, Tripura, Urban Development
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August 2020
Ms. Himalee Arunatilaka, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Nepal, called on Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on 18 August in Kathmandu, Nepal. During their meeting, Prime Minister Oli noted the long history of Nepal-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and described Sri Lanka as a “very good friend of Nepal.”
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Tags: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tourism, Trade
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March 2020
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December 2018
Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi undertook her first state visit to Nepal. She paid a courtesy call to Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli where they explored how to further expand their bilateral ties. At the Nepal Chamber Expo 2018, she delivered a speech urging both countries to improve economic relations. She also emphasized both countries’ membership to the SASEC program.
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Tags: Economic cooperation, Myanmar, Nepal, SASEC, Tourism, Transport
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June 2018
Ms. Chitranganee Wagiswara, high commissioner of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India, urged Indian companies to take advantage of the ample business opportunities in Sri Lanka. She said Sri Lanka’s Vision 2025 positions the country as an export-oriented economic hub at the center of the Indian Ocean.
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Tags: India, Jobs, Sri Lanka, Tourism, Trade
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May 2018
The Governments of India and Myanmar inked the Agreement on Land Border Crossing during the visit of Ms. Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister of the Government of India, to Myanmar on 10-11 May 2018. This landmark agreement allows people from both countries to cross the land border with passport and visa, for purposes such as availing health and education services, pilgrimage, and tourism.
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Tags: India, Myanmar, Tourism
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April 2018
The National Export Strategy (NES) of the Government of Sri Lanka has been finalized by the Export Development Board (EDB) and is ready for submission to the Cabinet. The strategy aims to boost the performance of the country's focus sectors and improve the business environment by developing trade support functions in logistics, trade information and promotion, and national quality infrastructure.
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Tags: Exports, Sri Lanka, Tourism, Trade, Trade Facilitation
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January 2017
A railway network linking India and its neighboring countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal, is being considered by the Government of India, according to India Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Developing railway connectivity will increase employment, interaction, trade, and tourism.
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Tags: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Employment, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Rail, Tourism, Trade, Trade Facilitation, Transport
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January 2017
The Government of Sri Lanka aims to attract $50 billion in foreign investment in the next 5-10 years to help develop infrastructure, and boost exports to $20 billion by 2020. This year, Sri Lanka expects to sign free-trade deals with India, Singapore, and China.
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Tags: BIMSTEC, China, Exports, Free Trade Agreement, India, Sri Lanka, Tourism
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September 2016
The Asian Development Bank has approved a multitranche loan of $1.5 billion to the Government of Bangladesh for construction of a key section of the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar railway line—the largest ever investment in railways by ADB. The new line will improve Bangladesh’s access to Myanmar and beyond, facilitate trade, and boost tourism in southeastern Bangladesh.
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Tags: Bangladesh, Connectivity, Myanmar, Rail, Tourism, Trade, Transport
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June 2016
Bhutan is upgrading three domestic airports—Bumthang, Gelephu, and Yonphula—to enhance their capacity, safety, and efficiency. The Asian Development Bank is providing additional financing for this SASEC project, to further strengthen safety and security, and improve passenger convenience and service at these airports.
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Tags: Airports, Bhutan, Tourism, Transport
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December 2015
South Asia is set to play a strategic role in Asian integration. This commentary by Mr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Advisor in the Asian Development Bank’s Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, shares how linking emerging South Asia with the more developed member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations will transform regional economies through development of regional connectivity, and create a huge regional market of 2-3 billion people.
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Tags: ASEAN, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Development, East Asia, Economic corridor, India, Maldives, manufacturing, Nepal, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Tourism, Trade Facilitation, Transport
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October 2015
A meeting between Bhutan Tourism Board officials and India's State Tourism Secretary Ajit Ranjan Bardhan discussed ways to improve links between Bhutan and India, including introducing an online entry permit system for Indian visitors and easing immigration checks. Bhutan agreed to consider providing online permits by 2016, said Secretary Bardhan.
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Tags: Bhutan, ICT, India, Tourism
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