BHARATPUR, Dec 20: Visit Nepal Year 2020 is set to kick-start from Sauraha in Province. Chief Minister of the province Dormani Poudel is scheduled to inaugurate the Visit Nepal Year on January 3 in Sauraha amidst a special event.
Earlier the CM urged entrepreneurs of Sauraha to help begin and make the Visit Nepal Year a great success. The 18th elephant festival that is scheduled to start from December 26 in Chitwan will be extended by four days in a bid to coincide with the inauguration of the Visit Nepal Year, said Dipak Bhattarai, president of the Regional Hotel Association, Chitwan.
'Visit Sauraha campaign' to attract tourists in Sauraha
Likewise, other tourism-related programs like chariot racing, bullock cart racing and boat race will resume this year in view of the Visit Nepal Year, he added. He said the provincial government would organize a special program to promoting Sauraha of Chitwan as the best tourism destination.
Annually, tens of thousands of tourists visit Sauraha which is adjacent to the Chitwan National Park. Tourists visit Sauraha for observing wildlife including rhinos, elephant and tigers as well as the indigenous Tharu culture.
The number of foreign tourists decreases during Christmas time as they return to their home country to celebrate the festival. "The elephant festival is organized every year with the intention that the foreign tourists who are in Nepal during that time will get to enjoy the festival and the number of domestic tourists will also increase," Bhattarai said.
Events like night jeep safari, food festival and other new activities would also be organized targeting the Visit Year. The target is to welcome 400,000 tourists in Chitwan during the Visit Year 2020.
