The 4th Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM) concluded here on Saturday with the formulation of a strategic plan for the revitalization, promotion, and sustainable development of tourism in post COVID-19 era and the collective commitment to make a presence in the market.
The Mart is hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation and organized by the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Nepal Chapter in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), and other tourism organizations was attended by more than 700 representatives from various 25 countries. The four-day event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on June 6. In his address to the inaugural session, PM Dahal said the Mart has been a main forum for the promotion of tourism in the Himalayan Region including Nepal.
He also offered the hope that the Mart would play an important role in the promotion of Nepal’s tourism while identifying the country as an entry point to the Himalayan.
In the concluding session, Minister of State for Tourism Sushila Sirpali Thakuri stressed the need for the government and the private sector to come together for the promotion of tourism in the country as it she said carries abundant potentiality.
Secretary of the Tourism Ministry Suresh Adhikari said the conference offered an opportunity to establish contact with travel entrepreneurs from across the globe while exploring the potentiality of Nepal’s tourism.
Similarly, the executive chief of the NTB Dr Dhananjaya Regmi, and executive chair of the NAC Yubaraj Adhikari expressed the hope that the event would help promote the country’s tourism.
PATA Nepal Chapter President Bibhuti Chanda Thakur said the Mart had become effective in exploring new opportunities for the exchange of networks and trade and promoting destinations for the sustainable development of tourism.
Under the theme of ‘Reconnecting, Rebuilding and Reinvigorating’, the event had national and international speakers discuss potentialities about the aviation sector and the new international airports of Nepal. Issues ranging from the revival of Chinese tourists to the trend in the journey of European tourists, opportunities and sustainable development of tourism for Nepal, promotion of the possibility of regional tourism, climate change, sustainable tourism, adventure tourism, and new practice in education were also discussed. The B2B Mart brought together 50 buyer organizations from the US, Europe, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Asia, and UAE, and seller organizations from Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, according to a statement issued by the PATA Nepal Chapter.
On the occasion, the ministry’s secretary Adhikari announced that the 5th HTM would be organized in Kathmandu on June-4-7, 2024 together with the PATA Nepal Chapter and the NTB.
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