'More than one million tourists visited Nepal in 2018'

Over one million tourists visited Nepal in 2018 and the country aims to double the number by 2020, the tourism authority said on Monday.

Nepal Tourism Board organised a special programme to mark the 20th anniversary of its establishment. The board was set up in 1998, when Nepal observed 'Visit Nepal Year' in an effort to attract half a million foreign tourists.

The latest data shows in total 10,97,458 people visited Nepal in 2018. Nepal aims to double the number by next year as the country is observing 'Visit Nepal Year 2020', the board said.

"It's a matter of pleasure to announce that tourist inflow has crossed one million mark in 2018," Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari said.

"Nepal has a bright future for tourism industry," Adhikari said while speaking at the event.

Nepal has achieved great success in tourism and the credit for that goes to the private sector, he said.