KATHMANDU: The sixth edition of the Eastern Travel Mart concluded on Sunday after three days of business meetings, exhibitions, and networking sessions at Itahari, reinforcing the city's growing role as a gateway for tourism in eastern Nepal.

Held from March 28 to 30, the annual B2B and promotional platform brought together over 100 tour operators, hoteliers, and travel agencies from four Indian states — Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Sikkim — as well as Bhutan, connecting them with tourism businesses and destinations across Koshi Province.

The mart was jointly organised by the Nepal Tourism Board, Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City, and tourism associations of Nepal's eastern region, and served as a showcase for the region's destinations, cultural products, adventure offerings, and tourism investment opportunities.

The event was addressed by Mukundaprasad Niraula, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Deepak Raj Joshi, Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board, both of whom underscored the importance of regional tourism development and cross-border collaboration as pillars of Nepal's broader tourism growth strategy.

A highlight of this year's mart was the special recognition conferred on Hikmat Singh Ayer, Senior Director, by eastern region tour operators for 25 years of outstanding service to Nepal's tourism sector. Ayer was honoured for his pivotal role in establishing the Eastern Travel Mart as a key platform for marketing and promotion, and for his sustained efforts in building tourism ties with neighbouring Indian states and Bhutan.

The Eastern Travel Mart has grown steadily since its inception into one of Nepal's most important regional tourism promotion events, aligned with the Nepal Tourism Board's broader efforts to drive economic growth and cross-border tourism collaboration in the eastern corridor.