Nepal Reaches Out to Highly Potential Korea Market at SITF 2026Sunday, June 7th, 2026

Nepal’s participation in the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF) 2026, held from June 4–7 in COEX, Seoul, Republic of Korea, concluded today, June 7, with resounding success. NTB led the Nepal tourism team represented by seven private sector companies to promote Nepal as a premier travel destination among Korean travelers and the travel trade.

Nepal Pavilion was in focus right from the first day with high-level visit led by KOFTA Chairman and CEO Mr. Shin Joong Mok immediately after the inauguration. Charge de Affaires a.i. at Nepal Embassy in Seoul Mr. Nirmal Prasad Bhattarai also visited the Pavilion with Embassy team and interacted with guests and private sector participants. Popular Korean artist Mr. Hwang Mansok presented NTB with photograph of one of his popular Gangnam Style sculptures. The special guests welcomed and presented with Nepal souvenirs at the Pavilion.

The four-day fair attracted nearly 45,000 visitors. Nepal Pavilion received strong interest from both Korean travel professionals and consumers, who sought information on travel opportunities in Nepal. Visitor inquiries primarily focused on trekking, visa procedures, and air connectivity. NTB officials also interacted with different media groups with fresh communications and travel updates to promote Nepal and disseminate information from local publications and social media sites.

The participation also enabled Nepali private-sector representatives to reconnect with existing partners and establish new business relationships. Tourism companies from Nepal that participated in the event were: Journey DMC, Alpine Club of Himalaya, Himalaya Safety Treks & Expedition, Pearl Holidays, Taleju Adventure, The Trek Nepal, Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks & Expedition.

Coinciding with the fair, NTB also participated in the World Tourism Industry Conference (WTIC) 2026, held in Seoul and Suwon from June 4–6. The conference brought together tourism leaders and destination representatives from around the world. Mr. Sunil Sharma, Officiating Director of NTB, delivered a presentation on global mega travel trends and their relevance to Nepal’s tourism sector.

SITF 2026 was a large-scale international tourism exhibition that provided insights into the latest travel and tourism trends in Korea and across the world. The event also served as a travel festival, featuring diverse events, experiential programs, and customized travel products that fostered engagement between destinations, industry stakeholders, and travelers.

The Republic of Korea is one of Asia’s major travel markets, with nearly 30 million outbound travelers annually. Korea continues to be high-value source market for Nepal with arrival of more than 23 K in 2025. Koreans travelers to Nepal are known to be fitness enthusiasts interested in trekking, mountaineering, and Buddhist heritage of Nepal.

Ms. Archana KC Rana, Sr. Manager, and Ms. Sushila Kumari Baral, Sr. Officer, represented NTB and coordinated with organizers, Nepal delegates and visitors, to facilitate Nepal’s participation at SITF 2026.