Nepal has participated in the World Travel Market (WTM), often referred to as the “Kumbh Mela of the tourism industry,” currently taking place in London.
The event, being held at London Excel from November 4 (Tuesday) for three days, is one of the most influential global tourism fairs. The Nepali delegation is led by Hari Prasad Mainali, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, and Deepak Raj Joshi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). According to Joshi, a total of 30 companies from Nepal — including hotels, travel and tour agencies, airlines, and expedition sales companies — are participating in the event.
CEO Joshi stated to Onlinekhabar that Nepal’s participation aims to send a message that the country is now back to normal and safe for travel, especially after the disruptions caused by the “JENZI movement.” He also mentioned that the European community had little awareness of Nepal’s recent internal political movement.
First launched in 1980, the World Travel Market London is regarded as the second-largest tourism fair in the world, after ITB Berlin. Over the decades, it has evolved into one of the most influential events in the global travel and tourism industry.
According to Acting Ambassador Bipin Duwadi, the Nepalese Embassy in London has been assisting the visiting delegation with local coordination.
Nepal has been participating in this fair for a long time, with continuous involvement for the past 27 years since the establishment of the Nepal Tourism Board. However, in 2023, Nepal could not participate due to internal organizational issues within the Board.
Currently, WTM London generates business deals worth 2.8 billion pounds annually and attracts around 5,000 exhibitors and over 51,000 participants from 182 countries and regions. Through nearly 5,000 exhibition stalls, tourism entrepreneurs from across the world promote their destinations and establish professional connections.
The fair also features ministerial-level interactions on tourism potential and policy development. Participants include tour operators, travel agents, destination management companies, technology partners, airlines, and tourism authorities from various countries.
Nepal’s Tourism Not Disappointing
According to CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, although tourist arrivals in September declined by 18.3% following the movement of September 8 and 9, October saw a 3.3% increase in arrivals compared to the same month last year — which, he said, is not disappointing.
However, he admitted that the targeted 20% growth in tourist arrivals under the promotional plan was not achieved.
Tourist numbers from China and India have decreased, while arrivals from the United Kingdom remain around 8,000 per month.
Joshi explained that the quick recovery of Nepal’s tourism sector was possible due to aggressive messaging — through visiting tourists, the Nepali diaspora, diplomatic missions, and multiple agencies — that Nepal has returned to normalcy.
He further announced that, beyond the traditional mountain tourism, Nepal will now focus on promoting spiritual, wildlife, and cultural tourism.
“In addition to private sector B2B activities, we are planning to launch aggressive digital campaigns directly targeting customers,” he added.
