Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY-2011) was formally launched at a special programme on Friday. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal launched the formal beginning of NTY-2011 by lighting a peace lamp brought from Lumbini at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel.

In a very jubilant demonstration of solidarity, thousands of people from various sectors assembled at the Army ground in Tundikhel.

Prime Minister Nepal committed on behalf of the government to firmly support the tourism year and urged all political parties to make the campaign successful.

Nepal pledged to mobilise all government mechanisms to develop tourism infrastructure and to ensure rule of law for the success of NTY-2011. Along with the prime minister, leaders of 19 political parties reiterated their commitment not to organise any strike that could affect the tourism year. Likewise, the business community pledged of injecting additional investment for the tourism year.

“We have a new ray of hope now,” said Kush Kumar Joshi, president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). “The commitment needs to be translated into action.”

NTY-2011 was first announced by the then Maoist-led government setting a target of attracting one million tourists in 2011. Its objective was to re-brand the country as a tourism destination.

The formal launch on Friday was organised to show the commitment of all stakeholders, including political parties for the tourism year.

“We’ll be campaigning for NTY-2011 in major tourism markets with this message,” said Ranjeet Acharya, head of the marketing and promotion sub-committee.

The working committee of NTY-2011 is focusing more on India and China as there are plans to draw sizeable numbers of tourists from these two neighbouring countries. Nepal is targeting 265,000 and 100,000 tourists from India and China respectively for 2011.

Of the one million expected arrivals, 775,231 are expected via air and 224,769 via land. According to Yogendra Shakya, coordinator of the main working committee, the next step will be product development and capacity enhancement. To overcome the shortfall of beds, home-stay model will be introduced in a commercial way. It will be expanded in rural areas and legalised in urban centres. 

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