KATHMANDU: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), together with nine travel and hospitality companies and Nepal Airlines Corporation, participated in Tourism Expo Japan 2026 in Tokyo from Sept. 24 to 27, using the platform to promote Nepal's tourism recovery and strengthen ties with the Japanese travel market.

The international travel expo, organised by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association, Japan Association of Travel Agents and Japan National Tourism Organization, brought together around 1,420 tourism companies and organisations from 74 countries under the theme “The Changing Nature of Travel.”

During the four-day event, NTB officials provided international travel buyers, tour operators and media representatives with updates on Nepal's tourism sector following recent monsoon-related disasters in parts of the country.

According to the board, the Nepali delegation informed participants that major tourism hubs including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini remain fully operational, while key trekking destinations such as the Everest, Annapurna, Langtang and Manaslu regions continue to welcome visitors.

The expo also served as a venue for business-to-business (B2B) meetings between Nepali tourism entrepreneurs and Japanese travel companies. Discussions focused on trekking, cultural tourism, spiritual travel, wellness experiences and other tourism products.

NTB Senior Officers Pradip Gaire and Yub Raj Gurung represented the board at the event. Nepal's pavilion also featured participation from Nepal Airlines Corporation and nine private-sector tourism companies.

The participating companies included:

• Gochali Tours and Travels
• Sumegh Tours and Travels
• Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks & Expedition
• Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition
• Ghale Treks & Expedition
• Buddha Maya Gardens
• Rupakot Resort
• Chhaya Devi Complex (Aloft Kathmandu Thamel)
• Gorkha International Travels

The Embassy of Nepal in Tokyo supported Nepal's participation in the event.

According to the NTB, the expo was also used to promote the board's Nepalcalling campaign and Nepal Wellness Year 2026, aimed at attracting more international visitors and strengthening Nepal's image as a destination for adventure, culture, spirituality and wellness tourism.

The participation comes as Nepal seeks to reassure global tourism markets that its major destinations remain accessible and prepared to receive international visitors despite localized impacts from recent monsoon-related disasters.