POKHARA: The first-ever Nepal-India-China Expo (NICE 2025), a tri-nation tourism initiative, concluded successfully in Pokhara on February 26, marking a significant milestone in regional tourism cooperation. Held from February 24 to 26, the event drew over 600 delegates from 14 countries, including more than 100 international participants and key stakeholders from Nepal’s tourism sector.

Organized by the PATA Nepal Chapter in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, Pokhara Tourism Council, and other public-private partners, NICE 2025 aimed to enhance regional tourism collaboration and showcase Nepal as a bridge between two of Asia’s largest markets—India and China.

Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, inaugurated the three-day expo at the Pokhara Event Center. In his keynote speech, Minister Pandey highlighted Nepal’s unique position as a cultural and economic link between its two neighbors, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure, airport operations, air safety, visa policies, and tourism services.

Gandaki Province’s Minister for Industry and Tourism, Mitra Lal Basyal, praised the event’s role in promoting Pokhara’s tourism potential, while PATA Nepal Chapter Chairman Khem Lakai described the expo as a milestone initiative marking the association’s 50th anniversary.

Other dignitaries included Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board; Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO of PATA; and Motilal Timilsina, spokesperson for Pokhara Metropolitan City, who all welcomed delegates and expressed strong support for the initiative.

Visa Inc.’s Vice President for South Asia, Anand Jha, emphasized Visa’s role in promoting global tourism through tools such as Visa Destination Insights and Visa Tourism Insights.

The event featured captivating cultural performances from Nepal, India, and China, and included a welcome dinner hosted by Pokhara Metropolitan City and Gandaki Province. A pre-expo FAM trip on February 23 offered international delegates curated experiences showcasing Pokhara’s natural and adventure attractions.

On February 24, the NICE 2025 Conference—powered by Visa—was held under the theme "NICE for MICE and More", exploring key themes such as tourism innovation, outbound travel from China, MICE tourism, aviation, wellness tourism, and the potential for hosting Indian weddings in Nepal.

The B2B Expo on February 25 and 26 facilitated over 2,100 business meetings between 80 buyer organizations from India and China and 75 tourism service providers from Nepal. A gala dinner at Hotel Barahi on February 25 and a closing ceremony hosted by the Nepal Tourism Board on February 26 celebrated the event’s success.

NICE 2025 was supported by a wide range of partners including government bodies, airlines, banks, hotels, and tourism associations from across Nepal, India, and China. Official hospitality partners from Pokhara and Kathmandu contributed significantly to the event’s success.

The expo’s success highlights Nepal’s growing role in regional tourism and its commitment to fostering sustainable and collaborative tourism growth across South Asia.