The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has formally announced the ‘Nepal–ASEAN Tourism Year 2026’ on the occasion of its 27th Foundation Day. CEO Deepak Raj Joshi unveiled a special strategy targeting ASEAN countries as a high-potential market for Nepal.
According to CEO Joshi, over 107,000 tourists from ASEAN countries have already visited Nepal, highlighting the long-term market potential. “Nepal will be strongly promoted in the ASEAN market through Buddhist and spiritual tourism, nature and adventure tourism, wellness and Ayurveda, and culture- and community-based tourism,” he said.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Mukund Niraula, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. Chief Guest Minister Anil Kumar Sinha and Special Guest Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Shraddha Shrestha were also present.
CEO Joshi estimated that around 1,160,000 tourists will visit Nepal in 2025, a 3% increase compared to the previous year. He highlighted initiatives after the Gen-Z movement, including live broadcasts from 8 key tourist destinations, travel information in 9 languages, 69 infrastructure development projects, and 41 other tourism programs across the country.
NTB also revealed seven key travel trends defining 2026: tranquility over noise, Gen-AI administration, trust over choice, road over air travel, highly personalized experiences, off-grid destinations, and culture-focused tourism.
Joshi presented the roadmap for 2026–2035, emphasizing a participatory approach, digital-driven professionalism, innovative policies, a mix of local and global experiences, elimination of non-productive programs, and focus on high-value tourism.
NTB Vice Chair Ram Prasad Sapkota stated that programs are aligned with private sector and government coordination, while Employee Union President Santosh Bikram Thapa highlighted the need for workforce development and improved financial regulations.
The ceremony also featured video messages from PATA CEO Nur Ahmad Hamid, World Tourism Network, and UN Tourism. The NTB annual publication In-Focus was also launched during the event.
