Contrary to the ministry’s expectations, tourism ministers from only four countries are expected to take part in the inaugural ceremony of Visit Nepal year 2020 (VNY2020) to be held at Dasharath Stadium on January 1.
Tourism ministers of India, China, Myanmar and Jamaica, along with delegations from seven countries, will attend the inauguration ceremony, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai had earlier said that tourism ministers from 40 countries will be invited for the inauguration ceremony.
“The participation of 20 delegations from tourism bodies of different countries has also been confirmed,” the ministry confirmed, at a press briefing organised in Kathmandu today. “The ministers from India and China will arrive tomorrow, whereas some delegates including high-level government representatives from Qatar, Bhutan and Cambodia have already arrived,” it said, adding that the government is also set to inaugurate the year-long campaign in seven provinces simultaneously. “The inauguration ceremony will take place at Biratnagar of Province 1, Janaki Temple of Province 2, Sauraha of Province 3, Pokhara of Gandaki Province, Bardiya of Province 5, Surkhet of Karnali Province and Dhangadhi of Sudurpashchim Province.”
The inauguration ceremony in Kathmandu will have cultural performance of different ethnic groups and indigenous nationalities, the ministry said, adding that Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force apart from Nepali artistes will also perform on the occasion that is expected to be participated by some 20,000.
Informing the press, national programme coordinator for the VNY 2020 Suraj Vaidya, said that all preparations for the inauguration ceremony have been completed. “The VNY 2020 will be inaugurated by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, while Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli will make a special address,” he said, adding that the inauguration ceremony will see participation of Vice President, former prime ministers, leaders of different political parties, ministers from provincial governments, members of parliament, and chief of constitutional bodies.
The preparation for the campaign formally kicked off with the setting up of a campaign secretariat in November of 2018, under the coordination of Vaidya. The campaign secretariat also decided to establish promotional centres at all Nepali embassies across the world to promote the campaign jointly with NRNA. “The logo and banners of VNY 2020 were posted on local buses, subways and rail stations in Canada and the UK,” he said, adding that the international celebrities have also been appointed as ambassadors to promote the campaign in different countries. “Around 40 media from across the world are also taking part in the inaugural ceremony of VNY 2020 in Kathmandu.”
He also said that the visit of renowned international personalities in 2019 is also going to play a significant role in 2020. The visit of President of China Xi Jinping and President of Bangladesh Mohammad Abdul Hamid in 2019 is expected to attract more number of tourists from China and Bangladesh in 2020, he added.
Likewise, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) organised the 56th Director Generals of Civil Aviation conference in 2019, which saw the participation of around 400 foreign guests from 46 countries. It has also witnessed representatives from 14 different international organisations associated with International Civil Aviation Organisation, including European Union, Boeing, Airbus and International Air Transport Association, who has taken the message of VNY back home.
Similarly, Nepal has just hosted the South Asian Games 2019, where a large number of international players visited Nepal. The successful SAG has also raised hopes of establishing Nepal as a sports tourism hub in the future
Though, there have been some issues like fake rescue scam, the mountaineering sector is also expected to attract more trekkers and mountaineers. The Department of Tourism (DoT) had issued expedition permits to a total of 868 climbers for 30 different peaks in 2019. Of them, some 381 members from 48 countries had received expedition permits to scale Mt Everest and among them 14 members were from Nepal,” the department informed, adding that nine climbers died while scaling Mt Everest from the Nepal side during the spring season, with the congestion largely blamed for the deaths.
In autumn season, the department issued expedition permits to a total of 1,210 climbers for 51 peaks. Expeditions to five virgin peaks of above 6,000 metres – Panpoche I, Panpoche II, Hunku Chuli, Hongu and Linku Chuli – were also successfully completed in the autumn season, attracting more mountaineers to Nepal.
Apart from the mountaineering, the travel and tourism entrepreneurs have been planning to develop new packages to attract tourists. “Visit Nepal 2020 will give government an opportunity to announce that cities like Pokhara, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Bhairahawa remain open 24/7,” according to them. The Thamel, Tangal, King’s Way and Jhamsikhel in Kathmandu Valley can be developed as nightlife hubs, they said, adding that it is also right time to rebrand Nepal in the international market.
Tourism ministers of India, China, Myanmar and Jamaica, along with delegations from seven countries, will attend the inauguration ceremony, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai had earlier said that tourism ministers from 40 countries will be invited for the inauguration ceremony.
“The participation of 20 delegations from tourism bodies of different countries has also been confirmed,” the ministry confirmed, at a press briefing organised in Kathmandu today. “The ministers from India and China will arrive tomorrow, whereas some delegates including high-level government representatives from Qatar, Bhutan and Cambodia have already arrived,” it said, adding that the government is also set to inaugurate the year-long campaign in seven provinces simultaneously. “The inauguration ceremony will take place at Biratnagar of Province 1, Janaki Temple of Province 2, Sauraha of Province 3, Pokhara of Gandaki Province, Bardiya of Province 5, Surkhet of Karnali Province and Dhangadhi of Sudurpashchim Province.”
The inauguration ceremony in Kathmandu will have cultural performance of different ethnic groups and indigenous nationalities, the ministry said, adding that Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force apart from Nepali artistes will also perform on the occasion that is expected to be participated by some 20,000.
Informing the press, national programme coordinator for the VNY 2020 Suraj Vaidya, said that all preparations for the inauguration ceremony have been completed. “The VNY 2020 will be inaugurated by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, while Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli will make a special address,” he said, adding that the inauguration ceremony will see participation of Vice President, former prime ministers, leaders of different political parties, ministers from provincial governments, members of parliament, and chief of constitutional bodies.
The preparation for the campaign formally kicked off with the setting up of a campaign secretariat in November of 2018, under the coordination of Vaidya. The campaign secretariat also decided to establish promotional centres at all Nepali embassies across the world to promote the campaign jointly with NRNA. “The logo and banners of VNY 2020 were posted on local buses, subways and rail stations in Canada and the UK,” he said, adding that the international celebrities have also been appointed as ambassadors to promote the campaign in different countries. “Around 40 media from across the world are also taking part in the inaugural ceremony of VNY 2020 in Kathmandu.”
He also said that the visit of renowned international personalities in 2019 is also going to play a significant role in 2020. The visit of President of China Xi Jinping and President of Bangladesh Mohammad Abdul Hamid in 2019 is expected to attract more number of tourists from China and Bangladesh in 2020, he added.
Likewise, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) organised the 56th Director Generals of Civil Aviation conference in 2019, which saw the participation of around 400 foreign guests from 46 countries. It has also witnessed representatives from 14 different international organisations associated with International Civil Aviation Organisation, including European Union, Boeing, Airbus and International Air Transport Association, who has taken the message of VNY back home.
Similarly, Nepal has just hosted the South Asian Games 2019, where a large number of international players visited Nepal. The successful SAG has also raised hopes of establishing Nepal as a sports tourism hub in the future
Though, there have been some issues like fake rescue scam, the mountaineering sector is also expected to attract more trekkers and mountaineers. The Department of Tourism (DoT) had issued expedition permits to a total of 868 climbers for 30 different peaks in 2019. Of them, some 381 members from 48 countries had received expedition permits to scale Mt Everest and among them 14 members were from Nepal,” the department informed, adding that nine climbers died while scaling Mt Everest from the Nepal side during the spring season, with the congestion largely blamed for the deaths.
In autumn season, the department issued expedition permits to a total of 1,210 climbers for 51 peaks. Expeditions to five virgin peaks of above 6,000 metres – Panpoche I, Panpoche II, Hunku Chuli, Hongu and Linku Chuli – were also successfully completed in the autumn season, attracting more mountaineers to Nepal.
Apart from the mountaineering, the travel and tourism entrepreneurs have been planning to develop new packages to attract tourists. “Visit Nepal 2020 will give government an opportunity to announce that cities like Pokhara, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Bhairahawa remain open 24/7,” according to them. The Thamel, Tangal, King’s Way and Jhamsikhel in Kathmandu Valley can be developed as nightlife hubs, they said, adding that it is also right time to rebrand Nepal in the international market.
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