Nepal Tourism Board NTB has participated in the Dream to Travel Festival, launched by The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The festival that will run for four weeks is an online event that brings together travel trade businesses worldwide to learn network and celebrate the power of travel during these challenging times. NTB hosted the VISIT Nepal program in the festival, exhibiting Nepal as a touristic destination for wellness and rejuvenation of body, mind, and soul in the new normal. The Nepal special session continued from July 6-10.

The first day of the program saw Nepal destination Briefing presented by NTB manager Mr. Bimal Kandel and Q n a following which, on the same day in the live experience session, NTB presented a momo making session, where a master chef demonstrated the cooking of the delicacy, which is a very popular food in Nepal.

On July 7, PATA Dream to Travel Forum shed a spotlight on the importance of spiritual healing and rejuvenation in tourism. Honorable Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai shared insights on the topic during a live BBC News fireside chat. He was then joined by Dr. Dhananjaya Regmi, NTB CEO and other officials from Nepal Tourism Board, European Travel Commission, the Government of Nepal, and ACE Hotels in a panel discussion about ways to strengthen the healing and happiness for all tourism stakeholders.

In the Knowledge Session at PATA Dream to Travel, Ms. Nandini Lahe Thapa, Senior Director Tourism Marketing & Promotion at Nepal Tourism Board shared a presentation on Body, mind, and soul: rejuvenation and Spiritual Tourism in the age of COVID-19. The presentation emphasized that the new normal is not only going to be a visiting place or any random touristic destinations, but also a place to rejuvenate and spiritual healing saying how we are digitally connected, still being unconnected. She was joined by travel experts in a discussion panel about how Nepal could be positioned is one of the healing destinations for the body, mind, and soul. The discussion dwelt on the exciting new opportunities in the tourism industry, brought about by the mass change in health and wellness behavior.

On the final day of the VISIT Nepal program, Nepal Tourism Board and Mr. Anil Chitrakar, Founder of the Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness and Co-Founder of Himalayan Climate Initiative conducted a live show session on the Lumbini, Nepal i.e. Birthplace of Buddha. Explaining the master plan of the Lumbini infrastructures, Gautam Buddha International Airport, and other historical heritages in the destination, Mr. Chitrakar explained how the Lumbini is not only the place to visit as Lord Buddha’s birthplace, but it has a lot to offer.

NTB officials also participated in various discussions. The virtual event- Dream to Travel Festival, unifying the travel trade through the infinite possibilities of the digital experience, will run for four weeks across time, space and borders from June 22-July 17, 2020.