Preparations are underway to organize a “Rural Tourism Fair” in Bandipur, a popular tourist town in Tanahun district, with the objective of promoting rural tourism.

The fair aims to attract a larger number of tourists to Bandipur and extend their visits to nearby rural areas. It is scheduled to take place on April 18 and 19.

The event will be jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki, Bandipur Rural Municipality, and the Village Tourism Promotion Forum (VITOF) Gandaki. According to Maniraj Lamichhane, Senior Director at the Gandaki Province Tourism Board, at least 30 homestays will participate in the fair.

He said that three similar “mart” events have previously been held in Pokhara. If the Bandipur event proves successful, similar programs will be organized in other districts of the province in rotation.

“Such programs can significantly contribute to local tourism development if organized in every district,” Lamichhane said, adding that promotional events of this kind are essential for showcasing tourist destinations. This will be the fourth edition of the rural tourism fair.

The event is being organized in the context of Bandipur being declared a rural tourism visitation year. It is expected to connect small tourism entrepreneurs and community homestays directly with larger markets and travel agencies, helping to increase both private and public investment in rural tourism.

The fair also aims to expand Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) networks. Organizers believe that if visitors are directed to rural destinations, local communities will directly benefit.

Homestays will set up stalls during the event, and discussions on Bandipur’s tourism potential along with cultural performances from various ethnic groups will be held. Tour operators offering domestic travel packages will also participate.

Bandipur Rural Municipality Chair Surendra Bahadur Thapa said Bandipur, being an old historic town and a major tourist destination, is organizing the fair to extend tourism into surrounding villages.

“The goal is to develop a tourism circuit by linking eight homestay villages around Bandipur and bring tourists to those areas,” he said.

He added that homestay-based income generation would help reduce outmigration by encouraging people to stay in their villages. “If people can earn a living from home, they do not need to leave their villages,” he said.

VITOF Gandaki Chair Shobha Kumari Sapkota said homestays have become an important source of rural income. She noted that more than 600,000 tourists visit Bandipur annually, and the aim is to extend their visits to surrounding villages through this fair.