NICE-2025 Expo kicks off in Pokhara

Gandaki, Feb 24: The tri-nation tourism expo, 'Nepal, India and China Expo (NICE)-2025', has kicked off for the first time in Pokhara from today.     

The expo is organized with an objective of bringing in maximum number of tourists from neighbouring countries—India and China.     

There is participation of more than 600 people including 80 buyers, 70 sellers of tourism sector and 75 international representatives in the three-day event. Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter organized the expo in collaboration with Nepal Tourism Board, Pokhara Tourism Council and other government and private sector partners and stakeholders.     

It is believed that the exposition would bring together tourism and hospitality stakeholder organisations from public and private sectors of the three nations onto a single platform to facilitate networking and business opportunities along with deep industry insights and inspirational experiences.     

Pokhara is becoming the destination for nature lovers as well as those enjoying adventure sports. According to PATA Nepal, the three-day event is organized under the slogan 'NICE for MICE and More' with the aim of promoting Pokhara as the attractive destination for other events too (meetings, conferences, marriage ceremony, other functions and festivals).     

PATA Nepal Chapter Chief Executive Officer, Suresh Singh Budal, shared that the expo has been organized with an objective of promoting Nepal's tourism potential and integrated business opportunity in India and China.     

On the second day of the event, tourism experts will exchange knowledge on the issues including 'Visa Destination Insights: Supporting the Tourism Ecosystem to Sustainable Hospitality from Construction to Operation'.     

Similarly, different sessions--B2B exhibition, business meeting and network expansion would also be organized on the same day. It is expected that the expo would support tourism and integrated trade promotion.     

Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Dhan Raj Acharya, said gathering of renowned travel agencies of Nepal, China and India, managing the travel of around 200 million tourists for the first time in the context of Pokhara Visit Year 2025, tour operators, tourism experts and international representatives of organizers in Pokhara is important and historical moment.     

He expressed the belief that the international expo would play significant role to invite a large number of tourists in Nepal in future, adding this event would further strengthen tourism, business and cultural relations among Nepal, India and China.     

Support and participation of all is indispensable to strengthen trade, tourism and partnership, argued Mayor Acharya.     

Likewise, Chairperson of Pokhara Tourism Council, Taranath Pahari, shared that the expo would have special importance in tourism promotion of Pokhara which would further highlight the tourism potential of Pokhara.(RSS)