From Mumbai to the World: Nepal Welcomes Global Travelers at OTM 2026
Photo Source: Nepal Tourism Board/ The Tourism Times
Nepal’s offerings have been strongly resonating with the Indian market due to their authenticity and community focus.
Kathmandu – A successful participation at Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) Mumbai 2026 was concluded by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) at the Jio World Convention Centre, where India’s role as Nepal’s strategic tourism partner and key source market was reaffirmed.
Nepal’s position as a global adventure and experiential tourism hub was further strengthened after the Best Adventure & Experiential Tourism Award 2026 was secured, following recognition as the Best Adventure Destination in 2025. The consecutive honors were described as a sign of Nepal’s growing appeal for nature-based, high-adrenaline, and community-driven travel experiences.
Despite recent regional challenges, a 30 percent rise in interest from Indian travellers was reported for January 2026, compared to the same period last year. Building on this momentum, a delegation of 34 tourism companies was represented at OTM, where offerings including trekking and adventure packages, luxury mountain resorts, heritage hotels, wellness services, and MICE facilities were showcased.
A major highlight was placed on the promotion of frictionless travel for Indian visitors. The advantage of the open 1,850-kilometer Nepal–India border was emphasized, while wider adoption of digital payments was highlighted following the NPCI–Fonepay integration, through which UPI-based applications such as Google Pay and PhonePe have been enabled across Nepal, NTB said. Nepal’s positioning as a destination for spiritual rejuvenation and nature-based relief from urban stress was also promoted at the Nepal Pavilion.
Reflecting on the outcome, Mr. Suman Ghimire, Senior Manager at NTB, was quoted as saying that Nepal’s offerings have been strongly resonating with the Indian market due to their authenticity and community focus. A need for increased flight connectivity was also noted as demand continues to rise, while Nepal’s tourism mix, spanning pilgrimage, wellness, casino, and luxury tourism, was highlighted as a key differentiator.
The Nepal Pavilion, spanning 220 square meters at a prime location within the venue, was said to have ensured high visibility and facilitated extensive business-to-business interactions. The delegation was led by Mr. Ghimire, with support from NTB senior officers Mr. Sagar Shrestha, Mr. Siddhartha Viswakarma, and Mr. Pradip Gaire, along with Office Assistant Mr. Jhamak Prasad Ghimire.
Through the event, an evolved image of Nepal was projected, with the destination being positioned beyond traditional trekking and toward a broader mix of adventure, luxury, wellness, and spiritual tourism, NTB said.
