Nepal’s sales mission allures Indian tourists in summer

Photo of the week Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) conducted Border City Sales Mission in Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi – the administrative, industrial and pilgrimage cities of India respectively from May 10 to 13. The main aim of the sales mission was to reach out to the local media for consumer publicity and also to make bookings for trips to Nepal at a time when holiday season in India starts.

During the Sales Mission around 120 tour operators and 60 media representatives were updated and apprised about the tourism of Nepal with special focus on the offer to the Indian markets along with programs of NTY-2011 and the Shopping Mall Promotional Offer conducted by NTB in Lucknow and Kanpur. NTB also revealed to the press that the Nepal government is soon implementing one window policy to ease the surface transportation for Indian tourist vehicles to Nepal.

Africa Film Festival in Nepal

The College of Journalism and Mass Communication, in collaboration with its African partners and with the promotion of Nepal Tourism Board is organizing for the first time ever in Nepal an African Film Festival. The theme of the festival is "Seeing Africa through the African Eyes." Fifteen films have been selected from the different parts of Africa showcasing the different African culture and traditions in documentaries, drama, animated films among others. The event will take place from May 23 to 25 at the Russian Cultural Center.

“We share a lot of similarities in culture and geography with Africa, which is the basic reason behind the festival,” said Manju Mishra founder and representative for College of Journalism and Mass Communication, CJMC, also the organizer of the festival. Mr. Laxman Gautam, Manager, Nepal Tourism Board while addressing the news conference organized at the premises of Nepal Tourism Board to brief about the festival, said the African film Festival would bridge Nepal to Africa as movies were the powerful means to peep into culture and diversity of the country.

Nepal participates in WEDF 2011

The then Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Chairman of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Mr. Kishore Thapa and Chief Executive of NTB Prachanda Man Shrestha participated in the World Expert Development Forum 2011(WEDF) held at Istanbul during the Fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries on May 10, 2011.

The Forum was organized with the objective to start debate on contribution of the Service Sector of Trade to Growth focusing on the potential of Tourism Contribution to inclusive and sustainable development.

The debate was addressed by Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Ali Babacan, Secretary General of UNCTAD Supachai Panitchpakdi, Director General of World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy, and Dr Taleb Rifai from UN World Tourism Organization.

During the debate Shrestha thanked International Trade Center for organizing such an Event focusing on Tourism in a most critical time as UN Conference is going to finalize Plan of Action for the next decade to enhance growth and development of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Shrestha mentioned during his intervention that tourism is not yet considered as sector to contribute for growth and development in the less developed countries.

Shrestha urged the Forum to have consensus voice to draw the attention of development partners in waiving all forms of duty and taxation which are discouraging to travel to the various tourist destinations of LCDs. Shrestha expressed his opinion that the role of private sector is based on profitability and profit generates from the growth of demand which means increasing the number of visitors.

Similarly, Secretary Thapa and CEO Shrestha attended Joint Special Event organized by UN Agencies like UNWTO, UNCTAD, UNDP, ITC, UNEP, UNESCO, ILO, UNIDO, and WTO.

The theme of the event was “Making Tourism work for Development based on Tourism and Poverty Reduction. Nepal shared its effort to expand tourism base in the country with national campaign of Nepal Tourism Year 2011.

Nepal expressed its confidence on tourism as a major source of job creation, foreign exchange income to support balance of payment, turning cultural and natural heritage into economic value, inclusive development from urban to rural populace, and sustaining historical achievement in democratic system of political governance.

Nepali Civil service employees make it to the top of Everest

An expedition team of civil service employees that had embarked on an Everest expedition about two months ago has made it to the top of Mount Everest on May 18, 2011. Those making it to the Everest summit are Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha, Santa Kumar Maharjan, Hari Guragai, Hari Dhakal, Subir Shrestha, Tulsiram Bhandari, Surath Pokhrel, Padam Bhandari and Khimlal Gautam.

A 15-member expedition team of civil service employees had left for Everest expedition in April. The government organised the expedition in collaboration with Nepal Mountaineering Training Institute for promotion of tourism in Nepal. This is the first time an expedition with all civil service employees climbed any mountain.

Rafting festival on May 21

Keeping in view the occasion of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY-2011), Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) is all set to organize Rafting Festival on May 21 in Trisuli River.

The rafting distance will be of 20 km in the Trisuli river (from Charaundi of Dhading district to Kuringhat of Chitwan district). The organiser has also fixed Rs. 1,500 per person for rafting which includes two way transportation, lunch and soft drink. More than 700 participants are expected to take part in the festival.

2555th birth anniversary of Lord Gautam Buddha marked in Nepal

The 2555th Birth Anniversary of Lord Gautam Buddha was observed on May 17, 2011 in Nepal wishing for world peace and prosperity. As the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha falls on the same day of full moon of Baisakh, Buddhists around the world, including Nepal, observe Buddha Jayanti with respect and devotion to Buddha.

First Gautam Buddha International Peace Award

Government of Nepal awarded the 1st Gautam Buddha International Peace Award to incumbent Mayor of Japanese city Nagasaki and former Mayor of another Japanese city Hiroshima. Tokihisa Tua, Mayor of Hiroshima, and Tadatoshi Akiba, former Mayor of Hiroshima received the award from Rt. Hon'ble President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav amid a special function in Lumbini on May 17, 2011 on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti.

The award carries a purse of USD 50,000 and a certificate. The government established the award in order to promote world peace and tourism in Nepal coinciding with Nepal Tourism Year 2011

High altitude marathon

A well recognized and the most adventurous sports event " Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon-2011" is once again to be organized at the Everest Base Camp (5364 meter) in the south side in Nepal on May 29, 2011.

Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is an international high altitude adventure sports event being held at Mt. Everest Base Camp since 2003 every year on May 29 being organized by Himalayan Expedition of Nepal to commemorate the historical ascent of Mount Everest by Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.

According to the organizer, the total of 59 international runners have registered their names till the date. Nevertheless, there will be more than 100 Nepali participants and eight Indian runners. The total distance of the marathon is 42.19 km. The race will start from near the famous Khumbu Ice Fall at Everest Base Camp in the south side in Nepal and will end at Namche Bazar (3440 meters).

22 expeditions to attempt Everest this season

The government has permitted 22 expeditions to climb Mt Everest this season. According to the Mountaineering Sector at the Tourism Industry Division under the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, a total of 227 mountaineers have been permitted to climb the tallest peak on earth this season.

The government has permitted a total of 71 expeditions to attempt different peaks across the country this season.

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