POKHARA: With showers of flowers and colourful balloons from choppers in the sky, Nepal Tourism Year-2011 kicked off amid a majestic function in Pokhara today.
Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari, tourism entrepreneurs and government officials were present at the opening ceremony held at Basundhara Park on the bank of the Phewa Lake.
In the evening, firecrackers lit the sky and locals decorated their houses with lights and colours to welcome the tourism year. On the occasion, the organisers announced the programmes to be organised during NTY-2011.
Biplav Poudel, coordinator, Western Region Programme Implementation Committee, Nepal Tourism Year 2011, said the onus was on everyone to make the tourism year a resounding success.
The announced packages and programmes include Pokhara Carnival to be hosted by Pokhara Tourism Council, Food Festival by Western Region Hotel Union, Fagu Festival by Restaurant and Bar Association, Promotion of the Kaligandaki Valley, Dhaulagiri Trekking Route and Kathmandu-Pokhara Route by Trekking Agents’ Association of Nepal.
Nepal Air Sports Institution plans to launch the Himalayan parameter journey.
Pokhara and Lekhanath chapters of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry also plan to organise various programmes during the year.
Clean-up campaign in the lakes in the Lake City, development of Pokhara as a model city and easing the traffic woes are some other programmes Pokharelis have set for NTY 2011.
Poudel said Pokhara aims to bring in half a million foreign guests, increase tourist stay to average seven days, up their expenditure to $100 per day and attract at least 300,000 domestic tourists during the year.
At the programme, Tourism Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari said tourism development was the foundation for economic revolution. “To boost tourism in the country, the government is working to link Pokhara with different cities of India via air. Maintenance work is underway at Tribhuvan International Airport,” Bhandari informed.
Tourism Secretary Kishor Thapa, Pokhara Tourism Council Chairman Tikaram Sapkota, Kaski CDO, among others, were present at the inauguration ceremony. |
