NTB Sees New Avenues for Growth at GlobeMeets B2B Networking Event

The third edition of GlobeMeets B2B Networking Event, one of Türkiye’s most prestigious tourism gatherings, concluded in Istanbul last week.

For the first time, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) joined the platform, opening fresh opportunities to promote Nepal as a destination and build strategic partnerships.

Held on September 11–12 at Rixos Tersane Istanbul, the event brought together more than 700 buyer agencies from Istanbul, 250 hosted buyers from across Türkiye, international participants from 20 countries, tourism offices from 11 countries, and nearly 20 airlines. In total, over 10,000 meetings were held, cementing GlobeMeets’ reputation as a serious hub for global tourism networking.

For NTB, the gathering marked an important milestone. “As guided by the Tourism Act, the Nepal Tourism Board’s primary role is to create strategic engagement, cooperation and promotion of Nepal as a destination,” said Mesk Ghimire, Planning Manager at NTB. “GlobeMeets provided a remarkable opportunity to connect with the National Tourism Organisations of Seychelles, Malaysia, South Africa and others, giving us valuable insights into their tourism vision and plans.”

Nepal’s delegation also supported five Nepali companies in forging ties with Turkish and international buyers. The response was encouraging, with Turkish outbound operators showing genuine interest in sending their customers to Nepal.

“On the other hand, Turkish outbound tour operators have shown keen interest in promoting Nepal among their customers,” Ghimire explained. “The feedback we received was very positive. As this was our first participation, we found the event extremely effective, particularly given the strong presence of quality B2B operators.”

This interest comes at a time when Turkish tourist arrivals in Nepal have not been as expected. NTB sees GlobeMeets as a platform to help the country to get exciting number of Turkish high-end tourist. “At a time when arrivals from Turkey are not as expected, our engagement in this event will definitely help us increase the numbers and contribute to a stronger tourism economy,” Ghimire added. “Countries like Malaysia have shown how post-Covid strategies can revive tourism from this market, and Nepal is ready to follow that example.”

Another highlight for Nepal was the chance to engage with major airlines, including Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines. With Turkish Airlines currently being the only carrier flying directly between Nepal and Europe, connectivity remains both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Istanbul is emerging as an important regional hub,” Ghimire noted. “We discussed ways to create mutual benefits by incentivizing extended stays for travellers flying via Istanbul to Nepal from Europe and the Americas. We have discussed this and the organizers of Globemeets have shown positive interest in helping us connect with the Turkish government for it.This could strengthen bilateral ties and increase tourist flows to both countries.”

In the meantime, Turkish Industry stakeholders also raised concerns about flight limitations, with only six Turkish Airlines flights a week making travel costly. Ghimire acknowledged this as a pressing issue: “Currently, Turkish Airlines operates only six flights a week, making travel expensive. Stakeholders have emphasised the need for more affordable options through additional airlines. With Tribhuvan International Airport now extending its operating hours, we see new opportunities to welcome more carriers and transit flights which could make the trip less expensive.”

For GlobeMeets, Nepal’s participation was a valuable addition to its growing international profile. Founder Hüseyin Kurt highlighted the event’s broader vision. “This event began as a dream, grew with vision, and was prepared with the meticulousness of a jeweler over 10 months. Today, GlobeMeets has become one of the strongest global meeting hubs in the fields of tourism, travel, and business trips,” Kurt said.

He emphasised that GlobeMeets will continue to expand its global influence while preserving its boutique identity. “GlobeMeets will never transform into a trade fair, but will maintain its unique character as a networking platform. Our mission is to create value, generate benefits, and remain a guiding light for the tourism sector. We see Nepal as a promising destination and are ready to extend our full support to the country,” he added.

The organisers also confirmed that the next edition of GlobeMeets will once again be hosted at Rixos Tersane Istanbul on September 10–11, 2026.

Nepal participated with a modest presence this year, but according to Ghimire, NTB will discuss with the private sectors to secure a more prominent spot as an international buyer-exhibitor in the next edition. For Nepal, this year’s involvement marks the beginning of deeper engagement with Türkiye and other global markets—unlocking new opportunities in tourism promotion, airline connectivity, and stronger B2B partnerships.

Summing up Nepal’s participation, Ghimire remarked: “GlobeMeets was our first experience, and it has already proven to be one of the most effective international platforms we have attended. It gave us the chance to build relationships with global tourism leaders, airlines, and operators who can play a direct role in bringing more travellers to Nepal. This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a much deeper collaboration.”

Alongside NTB, Nepal’s delegation to the two-day expo featured Earth Nepal Travel and Trek, Himalaya Safety Trek and Expedition, Swornim Tours and Travel, Journey DMC, and NBM Travel.

Representatives from all the participating operators from Nepal are positive about getting promising business from Turkey's 10.9 million plus outbound annual tourists.