Kathmandu, April 24:

This one’s a gastronomic deal that Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has struck. NTB has signed a deal with India’s leading fast food joint Nirulas in a bid to promote Nepal in its neighbouring country with a high disposable income and a growing culture of eating out.

The campaign, which had been kept under wraps for long by the tourism board, finally began from yesterday.

Nirulas, one of the most popular eating joints in India specialising in multi-cuisine catering to the variable Indian palate is not new to launching special schemes with its meals. This summer it sells Nepal in its ice cream deal that promises ‘Cool Offer Ke Saath Cool Holiday’.

The offer entails a free hot chocolate fudge along with a lucky draw coupon for a Holiday in Nepal with the purchase of two Sundae Fundae ice creams. The treat card that the buyer gets with the ice cream would include not just the lucky draw coupon but a ready information on Nepal as an apt destination for weekend breaks as well as soft adventure options like bungee jumping, rafting and cable car ride.

Besides eight holiday packages for three nights four days each sponsored by NTB, there will be 100 special discounted packages by various tour operators.

“The idea is, besides the winners, each of the treat card holders go home with a complete information about destination Nepal along with the contact numbers of the participating travel agents,” said Ujjwala Dali, handling India and SAARC countries for NTB. Instead of merely advertising in Indian media, informing people about Nepal as an attractive holiday destination, the board had been wanting to participate in a campaign to increase the actual arrivals, she conceded.

Dali claims this is the first time that NTB has tied up with tour operators for a campaign. Altogether nine tour operators will be participating who have been selected from among the leading Nepal-package selling travel agents in Delhi with partners in Nepal.

These travel agents, claimed Dali, had for long been very keen to promote Nepal. So it was an opportune time for NTB, competing with tourism boards of other destinations like Malaysia, Singapore and Maldives, to come up with this innovative promotion.

The Nirulas deal entails prominent display of ‘Naturally Nepal’ logo and tagline ‘Nepal: Holiday in the lap of Himalayas’ on its posters, tent cards and standees in approximately 41 restaurants in Delhi. The campaign would be on for about two months till June 30, at the end of which the lucky draw would be held. Officials hope that the campaign will bring in more Indian tourists as summer vacation in India has just started and successful CA polls has sent a pisitive message.