Kathmandu, June 8 The Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020 campaign will not be limited just to next year, according to the Campaign Coordinator Suraj Vaidya. While addressing the ‘International Media Briefing Session for Visit Nepal 2020’ at the third Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM) today, Vaidya said that the activities conducted for the VNY 2020 will build a roadmap to improve the country’s tourism industry in the coming days. While addressing the gathering of international media along with around 58 buyers today, Vaidya boasted of Nepal’s immense tourism potential. “Nepal holds a long history of cultural heritage sites that must be experienced by everyone once in their lifetime,” he said, adding, “After the 2015 earthquake, most of the heritage sites have been rebuilt while others are under construction at the moment.” In order to promote the heritage sites, the VNY campaign will be conducting bike rides along such sites, he added. Along with this, nightlife in Kathmandu Valley will also be promoted where visitors can experience the beauty of heritage sites after dusk, Vaidya said. “We have already spoken to the three mayors of Kathmandu Valley to promote nightlife in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. All of them have vowed to support us. So, we will launch this project soon,” he said. Furthermore, the VNY campaign will also work with the organisers of Everest Marathon, Lumbini Marathon, and other mountain sports. Claiming that no other country offers these tourism products, Vaidya said, “We are trying to brand our tourism products in the international markets.” Meanwhile, he also said that around 108 sculptures of Yeti will be made and installed in several cities across the world to promote Nepal. Stating that he was using the HTM 2019 as a platform to promote Nepal and VNY campaign, Vaidya urged the participants to spread the message that Nepal is gearing up to welcome two million tourists next year and thereafter. The three-day-long event is scheduled to conclude on Sunday. According to the organiser, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), around 58 buyer organisations and 54 sellers from six countries along with more than 100 bloggers — both national and international — have participated in the HTM 2019. “The major focus of this event this year is VNY campaign too,” said Suresh Singh Budal, CEO of PATA. Nepal is being promoted as a natural, historical, cultural and spiritual destination for tourists during the HTM 2019, he added. READ ALSO:

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