Kathmandu, January 15

The Visit Nepal 2020 Secretariat has appointed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) as its second official carrier partner by signing a seven-point agreement here today.

As per the agreement, both parties will organise promotional programmes in travel and tourism trade fairs and sales missions organised by the secretariat.

The secretariat will organise promotional programmes in the countries where NAC has direct flight services.

Currently NAC is operating direct flights to Delhi, Bangkok, Dubai, Mumbai, Osaka, Hong Kong, Bangalore, Doha and Kuala Lumpur.

The agreement has also mentioned that both parties will promote each other’s websites on their homepages as well as put each other’s logos on their websites, letter pads, event banners and other official activities.

Similarly, NAC will play promotional videos of the campaign prepared by the VN 2020 Secretariat on seatback screens of its aircraft. Likewise, NAC will also prepare promotional videos for the campaign that will be screened during the events organised by the secretariat.

The agreement has also mentioned that NAC has to include destination promotional contents in its in-flight magazine. NAC has also agreed to provide free tickets to travel and tour operators, celebrities, influencers and distinguish guests travelling to Nepal to attend events organised by the VN 2020 Secretariat.

Prior to this, the secretariat had appointed the Turkish Airlines as its official airline partner for the promotion of campaign in European countries on December 20. Back then, the VN 2020 Secretariat had been criticised for bypassing the national flag carrier while appointing the official airline partner for the national tourism campaign.

Meanwhile, in November, NAC had expressed interest in being appointed as the official partner of the VN 2020 campaign while presenting its quarterly progress review of the current fiscal year to Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai.

Issuing a press statement today, NAC has expressed its belief that the partnership with VN 2020 Secretariat will be mutually beneficial.

The agreement was signed by Bachchu Narayan Shrestha, member secretary of VN 2020 Secretariat, and NAC official Archana Khadka at an event held at the secretariat today.