Amid challenges in travel industry in the Asia and Pacific region, the 2002 PATA Travel Mart concluded in Singapore on Friday with a strong turnout, stated a press release issued by Nepal Tourism Board on Saturday.This year, Nepal was the feature country and adventure travel was the feature product. The Mart serves as a networking platform for both buyers and sellers to meet and also to increase visitor arrivals and revenue in Asia and Pacific. Final attendance figure at PATA Mart 2002 were strong, boosted by corporate buyers attending OAG corporate travel planning seminars on April 11 and 12 in conjunction with the Mart. The final tally of buyers was 353. Of this total 127 ware corporate travel buyers, 212 were pre-registered buyers and there was 14 on-site registration. Some 401-product sellers from 190 companies and 68 journalists attended this specific event. A special Cocktail reception was hosted at the Nepal Pavilion on the 11th of April 2002. Approximately 150 buyers and media turned up for the event. NTB distributed promotional collateral and ‘topi’ to the attending guests at the reception. Nepal is also inviting 45 buyers from all over the world on a FAM Trip to Nepal starting from the 12th of April. The trip is fully hosted by the private entrepreneurs and gives the opportunity to Nepal to showcase its products to the clients who ‘sell’ Nepal abroad. Nepal Tourism Board organised the inaugural opening of the Mart at the Jurong Bird Park, Singapore where the chief guest was the minster for Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation of Nepal, Bal Bahadur KC. Minister KC invited the 450 guests to visit Nepal for the best adventure travel in the world. Pradeep Raj Pandey, CEO of NTB briefed the audience on various tourism aspects of Nepal and presented a special CD-ROM presentation on the adventure travel attractions of Nepal. A cultural programme along with a reception/dinner was also on offer for the invited guests.