KATHMANDU: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal in Business Growth Advisors (NIB-GA) to promote wellness tourism in Nepal.

The MoU was signed on Sunday with the objective of developing, packaging and promoting wellness trekking circuits in trekking destinations under the high Himalayan region among the strategic health destinations identified by the National Health Tourism Action Plan (2026 to 2030) prepared and implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The MoU was signed by TAAN Chair Sagar Pandey and NIB-GA Team Leader Ratish Basnyat. NIB-GA, run by Dai Global UK with financial support from the UK Agency for International Development, has been working in collaboration with the Government of Nepal and businesspersons to formulate a national wellness tourism strategy and implement it.

It may be noted that the United Nations has declared April 15 as International Wellness Day at the initiative of the Government of Nepal in line with the ambitious goal of establishing Nepal as an excellent international wellness tourism destination. In addition, the Government of Nepal has announced a campaign to celebrate 2027 as the Nepal Wellness Year through its annual policy and program and budget for the fiscal year 2006/27.

As per the MoU, the Annapurna Trekking Circuit will be branded and packaged and promoted as a wellness trekking circuit. Under this, a list of four main products and services of health tourism in the Annapurna Trekking Circuit, such as yoga and meditation, spiritual and natural therapies, Ayurveda and spa and massage, will be prepared and potential health products and activities will be identified and branded, shared TAAN Chief Executive Officer Ramchandra Sedhai.

Promotion and marketing programs will be launched targeting national and international markets from the beginning of 2027.

Based on the successful learnings of the Annapurna Wellness Trek Circuit, CEO Sedhai said that wellness trekking circuits, products and activities will be gradually identified, developed and promoted in other hilly and mountainous destinations of the country such as Limi Valley, Rara, Dolpa, Manaslu, Langtang, Helambu, Lapchi, Rolwaling, Khumbu, Khempalung (Arun) and Kanchenjungha.