NTB to open its office in India, Nepal's provinces

Kathmandu, July 18

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has approved a budget of Rs. 1.59 billion for the Fiscal Year 2025/26.

According to Rishiram Bhandari, Coordinator of the Budget Formulation Sub-Committee, the budget and programmes have been designed with the objective of establishing Nepal’s image within the international tourism community by developing safe, reliable, and attractive destinations.

CEO of the Board, Deepak Raj Joshi, said that this year’s budget has focused on enhancing national production, foreign currency earnings, and employment opportunities through the development, expansion, and promotion of tourism, ensuring sustainable growth of the sector.

This year’s plan also includes promoting Nepal as the ASEAN Tourism Year 2026. Similarly, the NTB aims to increase overall income from tourism by at least 15 per cent by prioritising the arrival of quality tourists.

Promotional activities will be conducted in at least 50 source markets, while 5,000 additional tourism professionals will be trained. There are also plans to preserve at least 25 new tourism infrastructures to support expansion.

Likewise, 70 per cent of the total budget will be spent on international marketing, and NTB will open a new office in India - Nepal’s largest tourist source market.

 In 2024 alone, more than 400,000 Indian tourists visited Nepal. The Board is in the final stages of opening a permanent office in New Delhi or another major Indian city to enhance its outreach. Regional offices will also be established as outlined in this year’s budget.

The NTB has allocated Rs. 436.1 million for tourism market management and promotion, Rs. 129.5 million for public relations and publicity, and Rs. 116.6 million for establishing and operating new regional offices. Likewise, Rs. 46.2 million has been allocated for special promotional events such as the Buddhist Travel Mart, Himalayan Travel Mart, Adventure Travel Mart, Everest Honour Programme, and Safari Tourism Mart.

The Board also plans to conduct promotional activities in the USA, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, and various European countries. Additionally, cultural and adventure destinations such as Mithila art, paragliding competitions, Elephant Festival, mountain, and jungle safaris will be promoted through this budget.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 July 2025.