KATHMANDU: The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has announced the winners of its nationwide Wellness Reel Contest 2026, selecting seven creators—one from each province—from 111 submissions showcasing Nepal's growing wellness tourism sector.

The digital storytelling competition invited participants to produce original reel videos highlighting Nepal's wellness offerings, including yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, spiritual retreats, wellness resorts, nature-based healing and holistic lifestyle experiences.

Each provincial winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 75,000. The winners are Mina Kumari Raut (Koshi), Sumitra Acharya (Madhesh), Eric Nakarmi (Bagmati), Roshan Dhakal (Gandaki), Vaskar Maharjan (Lumbini), Santosh Buddha (Karnali) and Himalaya Bhatta (Sudurpashchim).

Asha Poudel received the Jury Award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 25,000, for her creative contribution. The jury also gave Special Mention awards to Ranjeet Shrestha, Kailash Karki, Ghumante Budabudi, Kiran Adhikari and Aashrit for excellence in storytelling, creativity and production quality.

The entries were judged by filmmaker Min Bahadur Bham and wellness expert Shobita Simkhada, who evaluated submissions based on storytelling, message, creativity, visual appeal and technical quality.

Congratulating the winners, NTB Acting Chief Executive Officer Hikmat Singh Ayer said the overwhelming participation reflected Nepal's potential to establish itself as a leading global wellness tourism destination.

He said every participant had contributed to promoting Nepal's unique blend of spirituality, natural beauty, traditional healing practices and mindful living through authentic digital storytelling.

According to NTB, the contest is part of its broader strategy to strengthen digital destination marketing through user-generated content and complements its ongoing **#photoNepal** campaign to promote Nepal in international tourism markets.