KATHMANDU, March 15: The Government is planning to cancel the Visit Nepal Year 2020 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak that has infected 152,428 people worldwide and killed 5,720.

According to high places sources, the government is making a decision in this regard this week.

The proposal to cancel the VNY 2020 will be taken to the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, the source added.

Nepal–which is amongst the world’s top 15 tourist destinations, according to Oxford Journal of Travel Medicine– and had targeted to bring 2 million tourists in 2020 but the global pandemic has blown cold air to the country’s tourism hopes.

The government, earlier this month, canceled the VNY 2020 promotion campaign owing to its spread globally.

The government on Friday suspended visa-on-arrival for all the foreign nationals effective from March 14 to April 30 as a precautionary measure to cope with the pandemic. Countries across the have enforced travel restrictions to contain the outbreak.

The government also suspended all the permits for mountaineering expeditions issued and to be issued for the spring 2020 season for the time being. The move came after China closed its mountain from its side.

Nepal, which earns 4.4 million dollars every year for climbing permits, has issued only five permits so far, none of them are for Everest.

Nepal attracted 1.19 million tourists in 2019. Among them, 254,150 were Indian tourists, 169,543 were Chinese, followed by 93, 213 from the US, 61144 from the United Kingdom, 55,869 from Sri Lanka, 41,653 from Thailand, 38,972 from Australia, 36641 from Germany, 36,247 from Myanmar and 30,646 from France according to the Department of Immigration.

Nepal had hoped to bring more than 300 thousand tourists from China this year. But the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan — which killed 3204 people in China and infected more than 81,000 — Nepal’s high hopes of bringing Chinese tourists suffered a hammer blow.

But, as China recovered from the virus since it first emerged on Dec 31 last year, it has spread to over 141 countries.

India, which topped the arrival list last year, also enforces travel restrictions as the country reported 84 confirmed cases and two deaths, the highest number in South Asia.

Likewise, Spain has locked down its citizens and France has closed its nightlife to contain the spread of the virus.

The number of confirmed cases has climbed to 5,753 in Spain with the death toll reaching 136.

In France, the death toll from the virus has reached 91 and 4,469 have been infected.

Italy remains the worst-hit region in Europe and second beside China in the world with 212,157 confirmed cases and 1,441 deaths.

Germany has reported eight deaths and 3,795 confirmed cases.

The United States has seen 41 deaths and 1,678 confirmed cases has also imposed a travel ban on European countries.

(COVID-19 Data source: WHO)

KATHMANDU, Jan 31: Ruling Nepal Communist Party lawmaker and former Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Lal Babu Pandit has urged one and all to encourage and promote Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020.

Speaking at a press conference organized by Prem Purna Pratap Foundation Nepal at the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Friday, Pandit said Nepal is a country with a huge possibility in the tourism sector.

“Foreign tourists who come to visit Nepal experience bliss when they see the spectacular natural beauty, rich culture, and heritages, hospitality which they cannot feel anywhere else.

“Therefore, it is the duty of each citizen and stakeholder to encourage and promote Visit Nepal Year 2020. 

We need to spread this message to the world that Nepal is the world’s most unique experiential and lifetime value destination,” said Pandit.

Nepal Government has declared the year 2020 as the Visit Nepal Year with a target to achieve two million arrivals and daily spend of over $75.

The Prem Pratap Foundation, which was established to educate the children, has been active in the VNY campaign for the past few months, and chair Siwaji Pradhan said the foundation wants to include the various aspects of the society in the Nepal Government’s key economic development strategy. 

Comedian Sri Krishna Simkhada, who was also present in the program, was of the view that every artist, social activist, journalist, political leader and citizen should carry the responsibility to make the VNY 2020 a success. 

Simkhada, who is heading the public toilet cleaning campaign, had enjoyed the reporters by caricaturing Nepal Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and famous television journalist Bijaya Kumar Pandey.

Nepali Michael Jackson Reywana Sapkota, who is also the part of the foundation’s campaign to make VNY 2020 a success, had performed a dance on the occasion.

Also, Social activist Punya Gautam and advocate Prabin Pradhan had expressed his views on Nepal’s national tourism development strategy on the occasion. 

KATHMANDU, Jan 7: Security officers in Australia have stopped a rally organized to promote the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign which was led by Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Yogesh Bhattarai in Sidney, according to reports.

According to a report, the New South Wales police had explicitly asked the organizers not to conduct the rally since the event was “promotional” and for “commercial gain” and was “not in keeping with the legislation regarding a right to protest”.

The event was also being participated by Ambassador of Nepal to Australia Mahesh Raj Dahal, Consul General of Nepal in NSW Deepak Khadka and Consul General of Nepal in Victoria Chandra Yonzon.

According to southasia.com.au, the rally was disapproved given the size of the contingent of the participants and in fear, the marching participants would take up the entire footpath blocking access for the pedestrians.

The timing of the promotional campaign in Australia also faces criticisms as the country is fighting a series of an intense bushfire burning across an estimated 8.4 million hectares (84,000 square kilometers) which have killed 25 people and half a billion animals in NSW and destroyed 2,500 houses.

However, Minister Bhattarai blasted the reports saying the fabricated news was aimed at tarnishing Nepal’s image and ties with the friendly country.

“The inauguration of the VNY 2020 in Australia has successfully concluded. A silent rally was organized to promote the tourism campaign,” he wrote on Facebook.

“These baseless and fabricated reports are aimed at tarnishing the image of the country and severing ties with Australia,” he added. 

KATHMANDU, Jan 1: The Visit Nepal Year 2020 has been officially inaugurated amidst a special ceremony held at the Dasharath Stadium this evening.

The VNY 2020 is being observed as a national festival with a target to bring in 2 million tourists, and with a determination to establish tourism sector as the major foundation of Nepal’s economic prosperity.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari inaugurated the VNY 2020 amidst a grand ceremony held at the Stadium.

Also present at the function were the Chief Justice, the National Assembly Chairman, former Prime Ministers, political party leaders, dignitaries from various countries including tourism ministers, heads of constitutional bodies, heads of diplomatic mission, members of parliament and ministers.

In his welcome speech, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai said that the VNY 2020 was only an entry point and that the government was preparing to observe the coming decade as the tourism decade.

Prior to the official inauguration, march past by associations related to the tourism sector, social organizations were held while the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force made a special presentation.

Renowned musical bands of Nepal also performed on the occasion.

The VNY 2020 was also officially inaugurated in all the seven State today including in Biratnagar of State no. 1, Janakpur in State no. 2, Suraha, Chief in State no. 3, Pokhara in Gandaki State, Thakurdwar, Bardia in State no. 5, Bulbul lake in Karnali and Dhangadi in Sudur Paschim State.

Also speaking on the occasion, VNY 2020 Secretariat Coordinator Suraj Baidya said the inaugural ceremony was focused on highlighting Nepal’s culture, heritage, costume and lifestyle while promoting tourism in the country. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 22: The Restaurant and Bar Association Pokhara is hosting the 21st street festival in the tourism city from December 28 to January 1.

The festival with the slogan “Let’s eat and enjoy in the street” will take place in three kilometers area surrounding the Lakeside, according to the organizers.

The organizers said that the street festival will contribute to the Nepal government’s target to bring 2 million tourists to Nepal during the Visit Nepal Year 2020. The government is also set to inaugurate the tourism year in the new year from the Dasharath Stadium.

The major attractions of the street festival will be national and international cultural programs, sale of food items of national and international varieties, entertaining games, pie chart exhibition of adventure tourism sports, exhibition of handicrafts, music concerts from Raju Lama, Sabin Rai, Karma band, Avay and the steam rock band, Lahure, Anuprastha and local bands, Lok Dohari from famous artists, comedy shows and so on.

Over 2000 stalls of nine different kinds will be in the street.

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote

Reporters Club Event: “Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) must make sure that they are a good partner with journalists, and be a strong ally,” said freelance professional journalist and the founder and executive director of Clean Drink Adventures Christophe Noel.

The special interaction program that was organized at the Reporters Club was presided over by senior journalist and the president of the Reporters Club Rishi Dhamala.

Noel spoke about the role of media, and how Nepal with its resources and further exploration in new tourist destinations could attract potential visitors with VISIT NEPAL 2020 less than a month away.

In the program, Noel stressed the importance of the media in making people aware of the available places to visit and provide information which will attract people. “They know of Khumbu, Annapurna, Pokhara, and Chitwan, they do not know much about any place else, the only way this is going to happen is if the tourists know of other places to visit,” he said.

Noel has been involved in providing clean drinking water in remote communities in Nepal through his organization Clean Drink Adventures. The organization was also involved in similar projects in Ecuador. The water project is currently active in the areas of Banke, Surkhet, and Jajarjot district.

He spoke about the importance and the power that media has in order to attract more tourists to the country. “We are storytellers, motivate people through action, if we tell them stories about Mustang, Jumla, those are powerful things, use your experience, you have the power to direct them, to tell them where to go”

In the program, he spoke about the 4 essentials A’s for driving tourism into the country. Attractions, Access, Accommodation, and Advertising were the fundamental and most crucial tools. Noel stressed on the importance of the media in telling the story of Nepal to the rest of the world, creating awareness about the humongous opportunities in the country for a decent holiday. “Media plays an important part in letting the world know where to go,” he said.

Noel who is now exploring new routes and places is confident of Nepal’s natural beauty to attract tourists. An experienced mountain biker having competed in over 500 bicycle races, he has seen much of the western parts of Nepal. He felt the need for the government to be effective in a ‘supporting role’. He spoke about the importance of the government to support journalists to tell their story, “sending them to places in Nepal. Support in improving the conditions of the airport, roads, attractions, and have an accessible means to get to the place.

Noel finally also spoke about the necessity of the NTB to partner with media and journalists. “NTB needs to make sure that they are a good partner with journalists, tour companies, hotels, government agencies, and work with the resources,” he said. He also spoke of the responsibility of the partners and holding them accountable for their work. The program was conducted by Tara Karki.

KATHMANDU, NOV 25: President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari through the Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali has sent an official invitation for a state visit to Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic President Vladimir Putin.

FM Gyawali who is in an official visit to Russia met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, on Monday, and handed him the invitation letter.

The President of Russia is being invited on the occasion of the VISIT NEPAL 2020 tourism year. The letter of invitation was given in an official capacity by the FM Gyawali.

(FM Pradeep Gyawali with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow Russia)

There is also a separate letter sent by Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli to his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev which was handed over to FM Sergey Lavrov.

The two Ministers met and spoke on matters pertaining to economic cooperation between the two nations. FM Gyawali requested his counterpart and encouraged him to invest in Nepal. Both the Ministers discussed bilateral cooperation.

Also, present on the occasion during the meeting of the two foreign ministers were foreign secretary Shankardas Bairagi, Nepalese Ambassador to Russia Rishi Ram Ghimire, undersecretary Nirmal Raj Kafle and other officials from the foreign ministry.

Russian officials in the delegation alongside FM Lavrov included Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, Director Zamir Kabulov, and Alexei Meshkov.

REPORTERS CLUB EVENT: “We are prepared and most of our work related to the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign is on the verge of completion” stated Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai speaking at a press interaction program organized at the Reporters Club last Friday.

President of the Reporters Club and senior journalist Rishi Dhamala began the program by asking the Minister to shed light on the recent activities of the ministry and also regarding the upcoming tourism year Visit Nepal 2020.

Yogesh Bhattarai is seen as a leader that is well respected with a popular image within the youth of the country. Dhamala referred to him as “Lokpriya neta” (Leader dear to and cherished by the people). Bhattarai is also a formidable name among the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) who is at the helm and shoulders responsibility for the party’s future.

VISIT NEPAL 2020

Minister Bhattarai in the program highlighted the work of his government toward making the VISIT NEPAL 2020 year successful and profound which will go in history as one of the biggest events. “We have inspected, prepared budgets, and apportioned funds to various departments that will make the year 2020 a tourist year for Nepal.

I do understand that this ministry was without a proper direction before stepping in, and with a lack of leadership, the government had to bear losses. I have tried my level best over the past several months after taking charge to correct and effectively manage the entire work in a planned manner”.

“Our budget that was remaining was around 200 million Nepalese rupees (NRs) but that would not have been sufficient for us to run programs. Advertising, publicity, and campaigning are expensive processes, and to be self-sufficient we have requested and made a budget of 600 million NRs”.

Minister Bhattarai emphasized closely working with all the various departments under his Ministry. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), airport authority, cultural boards, and bureaucracy. “We are planning a huge event for the 1^st of January 2020 that will celebrate and officially begin Visit Nepal 2020.

I have written to several heads of states, tourism ministers, and this program will be simultaneously celebrated in all 7 provinces of the country. There will be over 40 state ministers participating and this event will be organized to promote Nepal as one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

Similarly, we are also in the process of getting various international artists, celebrities, sportsperson, and civil society members that will work to promote Nepal and its tourism year of 2020”.

“I have also spoken to our embassies that are stationed abroad. They will be conducting programs and promoting ‘Visit Nepal 2020’. Tourist conclaves, programs representing Nepal will be showcased and organized in Washington DC, Beijing, and New Delhi”.

“We are now in a new era where Nepal can move forward with tourism, development and economic diplomacy which is an added advantage for us. It will provide a new image for the nation, and our role will also be to increase investments for our country. To achieve this goal I have been coordinating and instructing our ambassadors, the Non-resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and various other organizations that will help in promoting 2020 as a major tourist year for the country”.

Minister Bhattarai said “we are also in the process of identifying and developing newer areas for tourist attraction. Our focus has been on getting maximum tourists and providing them with various incentives for their travel, some areas are virgin and unexplored in the country, these places too are being studied for their development as major attraction sites”.

(Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai)

SECOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

“Nepal has had only one international airport in its entire history, which is going to change. We have completed 90% of the work for the Gautam Buddha International airport, and we are hopeful of its inauguration and operation by March 2020. That will not only reduce traffic, but it will also enhance tourism in the region. All necessary works have been completed regarding infrastructure and logistical upgrades. The only part is now the set-up, electrification, immigration services, and final phase work that will be required to make the second international airport functioning”.

“We are also in the process of increasing air networks and introduce more airlines to come and work in Nepal. That will not only add to the tourism of the country but it will also facilitate and encourage people to work in Nepal. Gautam Buddha International Airport will be a smart airport in line with the changing time and technology for superior comfort. We are formalizing and initiating the process for its operation monitoring and inspecting work each day. The final phases of the work for the airport are setting up immigration desks, security, and other facilities within the airport. These things are happening at a pace and within the time frame and we hope that the second international airport in Nepal will bring in the guaranteed desired results”.

NATIONAL CARRIER AND CURRENT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

“The current scenario of the only international airport in the country is being used to its maximum capacity. You are well aware of the problems that it faces for parking spaces. Flights ready to land are on hold which increases the costs. Parking spaces for aircraft are an additional problem. We are continuously working for its upkeep. We have rehabilitated the runway and the taxiway. Getting this airport in order as a boutique airport is now our priority”.

“There are several limitations and constraints with our current international airport. One of them and the most important is space. We do not have that required space to develop any further. The land is limited and it is as of now optimally utilized. We are exploring new opportunities for the airport in Nijgad to ease traffic. There have been many rumors spread regarding felling trees for the Nijgadh airport. I request media personnel to bring out the facts. The fact is 2.5 million trees do not exist in that area, it is impossible, yes we may have to cut down trees to acquire land, but we are also looking for sustainable alternatives. I can assure you that we have monitored and inspected the area along with various government ministry officials and civil officers. It is bogus talk to state that 2.5 million trees will be felled. Let our environmentalists have a dialogue with us and we are open to ideas and discussion. In 5 years we hope you can fly from Nijgadh to the United States”.

“Our national carrier the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is not performing well as other private airlines do. I have requested the officials and the heads there to boost their performance and show concrete results. It has to be treated as a profit-making enterprise and cannot depend on taking money from the government. The corporation is overstaffed and I know there are workers there who bask in the sun and receive their salary. I will put a stop to this. Several other steps are being taken to make the NAC into a profit-making enterprise, buying newer aircraft, and providing service to remote parts of the Nation. It is the responsibility of being a part of the government to facilitate the travel of Nepalese people all over the country”.

“We have also cut down on giving free airfare to members of the board and the people in NAC unless it is for work purpose. Previously many have traveled without paying and this has now been stopped. Another area where the NAC is losing money is paying enormous credits for the airplanes that have been grounded. All possible steps are being taken to make the NAC a profit-making company while ensuring that it provides quality service”.

“We can explore destinations that are well within our reach with a flight time distance of up to 3 hours. In the south, there are over a billion people the same number is present in the north. We can also target places like Bangladesh and Pakistan that have eager travelers wanting to visit Nepal. Every possibility and channel will be explored in taking the corporation forward toward generating profits”.

WORK OF THE NCP LED GOVERNMENT

“People are constantly criticizing the government which I find is unnecessary and creating an illusion away from the truth. This government has decreased the price of fuel, it has worked for the development of 4 different expressways. A fast track road is being built from Kathmandu to the Terai regions”.

“Under our government, we have been able to get a pipeline that delivers fuel directly which is a first of its kind. Our government has taken big strides in hydropower. Nepal is now close to being load-shedding free. Roads and connectivity agreements have been signed with China. Tunnels have been dug for further connectivity and ease. This is all taking place and the people turn a blind eye and resort to blaming and falderal talks. This is not counterproductive”.

“Please do not provide false information, if you have any problems let us know, we are open for discussions. Work alongside and see the country prosper, we are making strides in development, and the future of Nepal is secure and on-road to becoming one of the greatest travel destinations of the world”.

KATHMANDU: Directed under the banner of Buddha Entertainment Nepali movie Subha Love is all set for its European tour at the end of this month.

The following year of 2020 will feature the movie all over Europe in the starting months of January, February, and March. The information was given by the director of the movie Santosh Lohani.

The movie had a medium scale business in the Nepali market, but Lohani is hoping for a successful European response.

Youth astrologer Harihar Adhikari and 2017 winner of Miss Teen title Cristin Poudel are the duos who play the lead roles. There are previous stalwarts of the industry namely Rabindra Jha, Rajaram Poudel, Anoj Pandey, Saroj Khanal, and Pradeep Bastola.

This will also be the opening for famed stage actor Raja Rajendra as his first movie. Dr. Surya Thapa can be seen as the second lead.

The line producer of the movie Prakash Kadariya is a non-resident Nepali (NRN) based in Europe. With his untiring efforts, they hope to do well in the market there. Lohani says “due to the sizeable population of NRN’s in Europe we are hoping for its success and reception from the audience”.

The film went mediocre in the Nepali market due to its flawed release date and internal competition. The feedback from the public that watched the movie was positive about its storyline and portrayal of characters by the artists.

With lyricist Arjun Pokharel and songs are sung by Nishan Bhattarai, the title song has over 1.9 million views on YouTube.

The film is edited by Binish Shah and Bhupendra Adhikari scripted by  Abhimanyu Nirvi, cinematography by Rameshwor Karki, choreographed by Ramji Lamichhane, action by Roshan Bikram Bhattarai, VFX graphics by Anupam Shah, background score by Dinesh Sunam,

Produced by Dharma Raj Sharma Subedi, the movie has been shot in scenic locations covering the mountains, hills, and plains of Nepal. The film is also a boost to the vision of VISITNEPAL2020 and its promotion.

Lohani will be going for a Europe tour on the 27th of this month. After the European tour, he also has plans for Australian, Korean, Japanese, Hong Kong, and Gulf tours. The film is presented by Pradeep Uday.

OTTAWA, Nov 3: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will probably visit Nepal during the Visit Nepal Year 2020, said Ambassador of Nepal to Canada Bhrigu Dhungana.

Talking to Reporters’ Club Nepal President Rishi Dhamala, who is currently in Canada, Dhungana said that the exchange of visits at the foreign ministerial level is not very far.

“Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli had extended an invitation to Trudeau on the sidelines of the 18^th Summit of Heads of State and Government of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held from Oct 25 to 26,” he said.

“After the ministerial level visit, Trudeau will visit Nepal soon,” he added.