Nepal will be in spotlight at next year's 25th Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart.

And adventure tourism will be the feature product at the event from April 9-12 next year in Singapore, it was announced at the end of this year's show.

The 2001 PATA Travel Mart was the first where the number of buyers exceeded the number of sellers. A total of 286 buyers from 49 countries made appointments to see 262 seller companies.

"I sense a positive atmosphere, and this is because the mood of buyers andsellers is upbeat as a result of an upturn in the market," said Reed Travel Exhibitions managing director Tom Nutley. "This has been illustrated by our on-site research that has shown that almost 90 per cent of our buyers have indicated that they are likely to return to the Mart next year."

Delegates praised the show's one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments.

"This is the advantage of PATA Travel Mart," said R. R. Pandey, Executive Chairman of Everest Express Tours & Travel. "At other shows it's like fishing, waiting for someone to bite. Here you know who you have coming."