Nepal launches Visit Nepal Year 2020 to boost tourism

Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday launched Visit Nepal Year 2020, an initiative of the Nepal government to attract two million tourists in a bid to re-energise the country's tourism sector which was hit by the great earthquakes of 2015.

Speaking at a grand ceremony held at the Dasharath Stadium here for the launch of Visit Nepal Year 2020, Bhandari said that there was a need to forge collaboration and cooperation among all for the development of tourism sector.

"We also need to preserve the nature and culture while promoting tourism, not by damaging them," Bhandari said.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai said that the Visit Nepal Year 2020 was only an entry point and that the government was preparing to observe the coming decade as the tourism decade.

Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal, and the largest source of foreign exchange and revenue.

Possessing eight of the 10 highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a hot-spot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and people seeking adventure.

The devastating earth quake in 2015 that caused the Himalayan nation a huge infrastructure loss impacted its tourism industry the most.

Nepal received 1.2 million tourists in 2019 and the government is working out a strategy to increase the number of foreign visitors to two million in 2020.

The inaugural function was attended by the several dignitaries including India's Minister of State for Tourism Pralhad Singh Patel, China's Deputy Tourism Minister Wang Siaopheng, Myanmar's Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Conservation U. Ohan Moug among others.