Buddhist International Travel Mart (BITM) 2025

Buddhist International Travel Mart (BITM) 2025, initiated by Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) concluded on Sunday. The 3 day event was conducted from 23rd May to 25th May as an annual marketplace of the Buddhist pilgrimage industry. This opened in Kathmandu and concluded in Lumbini.

The event aimed to exploit the immense potentials that Nepal has in Buddhist pilgrimage tourism. So as this was taken as to promote Buddhist heritage sites in Kathmandu Valley and Lumbini, and also offer new tourism products.The tourism entrepreneurs of Nepal and abroad can sell in the international market.

Moreover, BITM is organized in Nepal to promote Nepal through Buddhist travel mart exploring Buddhaland, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, at Lumbini, Nepal. It will highlight the Buddhist sites of Nepal spreading the message that Nepal is center for world peace and a gateway to the Buddhist Circuits.

Inaugurating the BITM on Friday, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey has said that the government is committed to making Nepal a centre for Buddhist culture heritage and an attractive destination of spiritual tourists.

“The time has come to spread the message of peace that began in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, from Nepal to the world again,” Minister Pandey he added.

He said that Lumbini will be developed as an ‘International City of Peace’ and the government is committed to this, he further said.

Similarly, priority has been given to Buddhist tourism in Lumbini, focusing on major circuits including Kapilvastu, Ramgram, Devdaha, and Tilaurakot.

The main goal of BITM is to showcase Nepal’s rich potential in Buddhist pilgrimage tourism. By highlighting sacred sites like Lumbini – the birthplace of Gautam Buddha—and heritage areas in the Kathmandu Valley, the event helps promote Nepal as a global hub for peace and spirituality. BITM also introduces new tourism products that local entrepreneurs can offer to international markets. It supports the growth of niche pilgrimage travel, helps expand Nepal’s tourism offerings, and aims to position Lumbini as a leading destination on the global Buddhist map. 

BITM 2025 is being heralded as a landmark event with the power to elevate Nepal’s standing in global religious tourism, shining a spotlight on its profound Buddhist legacy.

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, together with Nepal Tourism Board and Lumbini Development Trust as well as different travel trade associations of the country had extended supports to organize the BITM 2025. 

The event was expected to be participated in by more than 150 international travel agencies specialized in Buddhist tourism and more than 60 national and international sellers. Delegations from countries such as India, China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka are anticipated, along with more than 1,100 visitors that include tourism professionals, Buddhist delegates, media, and other stakeholders.

It is to recall that Lumbini, the revered birthplace of Lord Buddha, has set a new benchmark in global tourism by welcoming 1,172,304 visitors in 2024. This remarkable figure represents a 17.36% increase from the 998,938 tourists recorded in 2023, solidifying Lumbini’s status as an international pilgrimage and cultural hub.

According to the Lumbini Development Trust, domestic tourists accounted for the majority of visitors, with 759,990 Nepali nationals visiting the sacred site. This represents a 15.81% growth compared to the previous year’s 656,218. Meanwhile, tourists from India also surged significantly, reaching 300,889, an increase of 12.90% from 266,510 in 2023.

The most significant growth was observed among international tourists holding passports from countries other than India, with their numbers climbing to 111,425, marking an impressive 46.36% increase from 76,210 in 2023.

Among international visitors, Sri Lanka topped the list, contributing 23,569 tourists. Thailand followed closely with 21,496, while China, Myanmar, and Vietnam recorded 13,012, 10,517, and 8,500 tourists respectively. Moreover, Swayambhu and Bouddha are most visited Buddhist sites in the Kathmandu Valley while other many such sites are also visited by foreign tourists. Likewise, Namo Buddha, which situates near Dhulikhel is another Buddhist religious site visited by number of foreign and domestic tourists.