ABTO Emphasizes Air Connectivity to Promote Buddhist Circuit on Global Tourism Map

At the prestigious 4-day BITM 2025 International Conference held across Kathmandu and Lumbini, Dr. Kaulesh Kumar, General Secretary of the Association of Buddhist Tour Operators (ABTO), strongly advocated for enhancing air connectivity among key Buddhist destinations to elevate the Buddhist Circuit to the forefront of world tourism.

Speaking during the event, Dr. Kumar said, “To bring the Buddhist Circuit to the top of global tourism, it is crucial to establish direct air routes connecting Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Varanasi, and Kolkata.” He emphasized that such connectivity will not only facilitate seamless travel for international pilgrims and tourists but also leverage the vast Indian domestic tourism market.

A formal request was submitted to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Lumbini Province to urgently initiate dialogue with international aviation bodies and stakeholders for launching flights from South Asian countries to Lumbini. In addition, ABTO proposed direct flight operations from Lumbini to Bodhgaya, Varanasi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi to meet the increasing demand from Indian and international travelers.

The BITM 2025 International Conference witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 300 delegates, including more than 100 international representatives from 35 countries. A key outcome of the panel discussions was a collective agreement to focus on promoting and developing eight vital sites of the Buddhist sector — Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Sravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali, and Sankasia — through collaborative efforts.

ABTO extended heartfelt gratitude to the organizers, including NATTA, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), and the Government of Nepal, for hosting a grand and impactful international event that will surely contribute to strengthening cross-border tourism collaboration and spiritual travel.