Bardiya Digital Mela connects local tourism economy with digital platforms

BARDIYA: Thakurbaba Municipality, with support from The Asia Foundation Nepal, organised the Bardiya Digital Mela, themed 'कथादेखि यात्रासम्म' (From stories to journey), in Thakurbaba, Bardiya, on Sunday. 

The event aimed to integrate the local tourism economy with digital platforms by bringing together content creators, tourism entrepreneurs and local communities.

Despite offering unique experiences such as the Bardiya National Park, indigenous Tharu heritage and the Karnali River, the region's tourism resources have remained underrepresented online. The initiative sought to bridge this gap, equipping local homestays, nature guides and small businesses with the digital skills needed to reach modern travellers.

Pranay Sthapit, director of The Asia Foundation Nepal, had underscored the importance of digital connectivity. "Today, from Bardiya itself, we are giving a clear and unified message to the world: 'Nepal is Calling' — Nepal is open. At this moment, the best way to support our national reconstruction is to come here, travel and invest in the local economy," he noted. "The world does not believe in slogans. The world believes in videos, national parks, the rich Tharu culture and cuisine. Bardiya's challenge was never a lack of world-class tourism resources. What was always lacking here was a 'digital bridge'. Today we are building that very bridge. Therefore, we have gathered this Bardiya Digital Mela today as 'Bardiya Digital Mela — कथादेखि यात्रासम्म'."

The campaign unfolded in three stages. It began with a two-day influencer expedition, where selected digital creators experienced the region's wildlife and culture first-hand. This was followed by the core event on Sunday, a creator-entrepreneur confluence featuring panel discussions, skill-building sessions and cultural exhibitions. The final phase involves ongoing content amplification across social media to sustain the destination's visibility.

Deepak Raj Joshi, founding member of the World Tourism Network and former chief executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board, had highlighted the event's potential. "Bardiya has the stories, the people and the experiences. What we need is to take these stories from local conversations to global journeys. The Bardiya Digital Mela is a step in that direction—turning stories into journeys, and journeys into opportunities," he had said. He added, "I appreciate the idea and effort of the organisers, event curators and supporting partners for taking such an impactful initiative, which can positively shape the future of Bardiya tourism in a way that the destination deserves, as one of the region’s remarkable green destinations."

Sunil Sharma, officiating director of the public relations and publicity department at the Nepal Tourism Board, had praised the initiative for providing exposure to local talent. "My first impression of the Bardiya Digital Mela is that an initiative like this can provide tremendous exposure to local talent and communities, while giving a positive boost to tourism in the region. More importantly, it can encourage policymakers and stakeholders to develop a more robust and focused strategy for promoting Bardiya digitally and across social media as a tourism destination," he stated. Remarking on the event's theme, he added, "‘कथादेखि यात्रासम्म’ is a beautifully coined theme. It captures the journey of discovering a destination, telling its stories, creating experiences and expressing them in ways that inspire and motivate people to visit. I am sure Bardiya will benefit immensely from this initiative and, in time, attract many more visitors from Nepal and beyond."

A curated group of national and local content creators participated in the event, crafting an experience-led narrative to showcase the region. The programme was executed in collaboration with Buddha Air as the travel partner and Storm Communications Nepal as the event partner, uniting local government, the private sector and the digital creator community to elevate the digital presence of Bardiya.