KATHMANDU: The fifth edition of the Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM), a flagship international tourism fair designed to promote Nepal’s tourism industry, concluded in Kathmandu on Thursday with a strong focus on sustainable tourism development and enhanced regional collaboration among mountain nations.
Held under the theme “Mountain: Milestone and Momentum,” the three-day event brought together more than 700 participants, including over 100 international delegates from 30 countries. The Mart served as a significant platform to boost Nepal’s global tourism visibility and enhance business linkages among international tourism stakeholders.
The event was jointly organized by the Nepal Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Nepal Airlines, and several national and international tourism bodies.
NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi noted that the HTM has become instrumental in exploring and promoting Nepal’s expanding array of tourism destinations.
“The number of tourist destinations in Nepal has grown significantly in recent years,” he said, adding that while Nepal continues to urbanize—with the rural-urban ratio now at 50:50—the country’s tourism remains deeply rooted in nature and cultural heritage.
HTM Coordinator and PATA General Secretary Narendra Dev Bhatta emphasized the Mart’s goal of strengthening Nepal’s tourism linkages with the global market while also encouraging domestic travel.
The event featured over 20 national and international speakers, who shared insights on topics including spiritual, adventure, and luxury tourism, sustainable travel, emerging market trends, and opportunities in the global travel sector.
As part of its Business-to-Business (B2B) component, this year’s HTM welcomed more than 60 international buyers from countries such as the United States, Australia, Russia, South Africa, and several European and CIS nations.
Additionally, over 65 sellers from Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka showcased their tourism products and services.
Organizers expressed optimism that the Mart would serve as a launchpad for deeper international partnerships, foster cross-border tourism collaboration, and inspire a sustainable future for tourism in the Himalayan region.
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