Kathmandu, April 2

The government is all set to launch the Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020 campaign on the occasion of Nepali New Year’s day, that falls on April 14. The government had announced the campaign last year with a target to bring in two million tourists by 2020.

Since then the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has been preparing for the campaign along with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the private sector.

The government has allocated Rs 100 million in fiscal year 2018-19 for the campaign.

According to the campaign committee coordinated by industrialist Suraj Vaidya, it has prepared a few programmes in association with the private sector that have to be implemented before the current fiscal year ends. It has to be noted that there are only three months left for the current fiscal year to end.

The campaign will mostly focus on promoting new tourist destinations and digital marketing of the project.

Besides, the campaign will also focus on selling old destinations with new experiences.

“As the slogan of the VNY 2020 campaign is ‘Lifetime Experience’ we will be introducing new activities that will provide a lifetime experience to visitors,” said Vaidya, “We will concentrate on providing new activities and new experiences to travellers during the campaign period.” Meanwhile, he informed that 20 new tourist destinations among the 100 tourist destinations unveiled by the tourism ministry will be promoted under this campaign.

He further mentioned that the campaign committee will carry out necessary maintenance works in the 20 selected destinations and also construct new tourist infrastructure if required.

Likewise, tourism awareness programmes will be conducted via media advertisements and road shows. The campaign will mainly focus on countries with which Nepal has direct air connectivity, Vaidya said.

“We will organise sales missions in neighbouring countries China and India as well as European countries,” he added. Similarly, shortterm service training programmes will be provided to the human resources of the hospitality industry. The campaign will also contribute in establishing the country’s sole international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport, as a boutique airport.

Meanwhile, the committee has already held talks with the mayors of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Bhaktapur Municipality to launch a ‘Kathmandu Valley by Night’ event. Under this event the three tourist cities will be promoted for their nightlife attractions.

The Durbar Squares of the Valley will be decorated with lights, local street food will be served and several cultural programmes will be conducted at night in these cities.