During Nepal Tourism Year 2011, Tourism entrepreneurs in Kapilvastu district are positive about seeing an increase in tourist arrival as the number of visitors rose up in 2010. Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha is the best pilgrimage destination and the numbers of tourists visiting several places of historical and archeological importance in the district increased last year compared to 2008 and 2009. Foreign Tourists, especially from Sri, Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, china, Thailand, South Korea and Japan, visit several tourism places in the district by arriving here through India. Most of them return after visiting Tilaurakot, through there are many paces of religious and archeological importance that are lacking necessary infrastructures. According to Lumbini Development Trust, around 13,000 visitors arrived in 2008. It was 13,249 in 2009. The number even increased and the figure crossed 19,000 in 2010, according to Lumbini Development Trust. Local tourism entrepreneurs complain that hundreds of historical ancient places, including Kapilbastu Palace, Kudan, Gotihawa, Niglihawa, Sagarahawa and Araurakot, have remained ...

Charumati Buddhist Mission Nepal (CBMN) is going to organise ´Nepali Cultural and Ritual Exhibition´ in different cities of Malaysia from Jan. 20 to Feb. 4. The program aims to promote Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011 by providing information about different cultural, ritual and heritages of Nepal, according to CBNM. A documentary directed in Lumbini, Kapilvastu, Devdaha, Ramgram, Swoyambhu, Pashupatinath, Manakamana and Pokhara will be shown in the programme. Culture of Newar, Sherpa and Tamang communities will also be exhibited at the programme. President of CBNM and chief of Charumati Bihar Monk Tapashwi Dgamma will lead an 18-member team in Malaysia. Monk Tapaswi will give a speech on Buddha´s philosophy in some Malaysian cities. Such programmes will encourage tourists to visit Nepal, Dgamma said. Similar programme will also be organised in Sri Lanka after Malaysia, he said

On the special occasion of Nepal Tourism Year-2011, Kathmandu Metropolitan City is going to publish route maps of several tourism destinations located inside Kathmandu Valley to help international tourists. In maps all the information about temples statues with their history and historical importance, festivals and rituals of the different castes and information about various places of tourism importance, including Hanumandhoka, Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath Stupa. According to KMC officials, in maps, tourism highlights from Kamalakshi to Indrachowk as well as Hanumandhoka and Bhimsensthan are the first route. Thaiti to Bangemuda, Bhedasingh, Itumbahal, Hanumandhoka and Jaisidewal to Teku will be in the second route. Chhetrapati, Pyafal, Hanumandhoka, Jhoche, Ombahal, Lagan, Brahmatol to Machali and Pachali of Teku will be in the last pathway in maps. Besides this, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath and other important tourism places will be highlighted in the map. Chief of Heritage Department under KMC, Indra Man Suwal, said the map is going to published to provide total information to the tourists as there ...

Chitwan is organizing the eight editions of Chitwan Expo and Mid- region Trade Fair Expo-2011 officially kicks off on Jan 9. The event is going to organize aiming to promote economic activities in Chitwan Region. The chief coordinator of the event, Uttam Lal Chukesaid, “We will showcase dairy product, handicraft, information and communication technology (ICT), trade exhibition and local culture during the expo and we expect some 300,000 visitors and Rs 120 million turnover from the exhibition, compared to 275,000 visitors and a turnover of Rs 70 million in the last expo.” Organisers are all set to put up agriculture, tourism, educationa and health related 425 stalls in the Expo. “Our target is to establish Chitwan as the second most-popular tourist destination. Currently, Chitwan is the third most popular destination, after Kathmandu and Pokhara, and we want to push it up through trade expos of this kind.” Chuke said. The organisers want to increase the number of domestic visitors to the district. ...

Jan 3.2011 NextYatra.com CNN has listed Everest Base Camp as the best adventure trip for 2011. CNN has mentioned in its online version, the thrill of high altitude trekking in Nepal which was once available only to a gung-ho few, has become more accessible recently. With the start of the much-awaited Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011), the country has once again gained popularity worldwide, as a trip to Everest Base Camp has hit the list of CNN 10 best trips for 2011. According to CNN’s online report, Co-host of International Television Show Word Travel and Travel writer Robin Esrock will lead a trek to the Everest Base Camp with world Expeditions in April 2011. The trip will start the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu Valley and ascend through Sherpa villages of Tengboche Monastery, where enthralled hikers get panoramic views of the rock star mountains of the Himalayas: Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, ...

To make Nepal Tourism Year effective and successful Nepal Tourism Board as appointed nine people who have already booked their name in the Guinness Book of World Record in different categories as the goodwill ambassadors for the Nepal Tourism Year-2011. As a function held in the capital on Friday, Temba Dorje Sherpa, Rohit Timilsina, Mathura Shrestha and Temba Chhiri Sherpa were appointed by the Director of Board, Nandani Lakhe Thapa. Similarly Thaneshwor Guragain, Prathistha Amatya Bista, Neema Gumba Sherpa, Mingma Tshering Sherpa and Nima Temba Sherpa have also been picked as the NTY goodwill ambassadors. Deepak Sharma Bajgain,a Guinness world record holder in no less than five different categories has also been appointed Nepal Tourism Year 2011′s Goodwill Ambassador. Director of the Board, Nandani Lakhe Thapa handed over the certificates of goodwill ambassador to them amidst a programme.

31 Dec, 2010 NextYatra.com To attend the function for the national tourism campaign “Nepal Tourism Year 2011” the secretary general of the UN World Tourism Organization, seven SAARC tourism ministers and the secretary of the Cambodian Tourism Ministry have confirmed that they will be attending the inauguration of Nepal Tourism . Government of Nepal is scheduled to inaugurate the most-hyped and long waited NTY 2011 on January 14, 2011 at the Dasarath Stadium in consultation with Nepalese travel trade sector. Spokesperson of Nepal Tourism Board Aditya Baral, said that Tourism ministers from China and Japan have expressed interest to participate in the inaugural function, but they have not confirmed. SAARC tourism secretaries are scheduled to arrive on January 11. Discussions on the problems and barriers confronting tourism promotion there will be an extensive joint secretary level meeting of the SAARC Tourism Working Committee from January 12 to13 and on January 14 NTY 2011 will ...

Dec 31, 2010 NextYatra.com In contrast to the government plan of inaugurating the Nepal Tourism Year on January 14, toruism entrepreneurs of Pokhara- set to announce the beginning of the Nepal Tourism Year on January 1itself. Pokhara, the second tourist hotspot in Nepal, trying to attract more international tourists during the NTY 2011.Biplav Poudel, NTY programme executive coordinator for the western region said at a press meet that the start of tourism year will be announced at Basundhara Park at 12:15 pm on the first day of January, 2011. Pokhara’s attraction for its tranquil atmosphere and the beauty of the surrounding countryside. So on the occasion, tourism entrepreneurs will come up with attractive packages for the tourists. Different local FM stations and print media plan to highlight the event to bring at least 500,000 foreign and 300,000 internal tourists in the western region during the year. As a part of tourism year celebrations, residents ...

Dec 26, 2010 NextYatra.com New Year 2011 began with the celebration of New Year Eve and with the different programs especially for Nepal Tourism Year-2011. A motorcycle rally is being organized from Thankot to Nagarkot to welcome the Nepal Tourism Year-2011 with representatives from different political parties, the public and members of civil society bodies and other various organizations taking part in it on Dec 30, 2010, just 2 days before 2011. Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairmain of UCPN Maoist and Subas Chandra Nembang jointly inaugurated the rally, “Thankot to Nagarkot Tour 2067” in Thankot in Thursday morning. Addressing the rally, political leaders and civil society members expressed their commitments to enable NTY 2011 see the light of the day. As many as 300 motorcyclists participated in the rally. The government aims to bring one million foreign tourists in Nepal in the NTY 2011. The rally was coordinated by Nepal Tourism Board.

Dec 30, 2010 NextYatra.com New Year 2011 began with the celebration of New Year Eve and with the different programs especially for Nepal Tourism Year-2011. The most-hyped, long-awaited and more expected Nepal Tourism Year-2011 will be officially inaugurated on January 14, 2011 at the Dasarath Stadium. Government of Nepal in consultation with Nepalese travel trade sector and concerned organizations/experts has decided to launch a national tourism campaign "Nepal Tourism Year 2011". The government is inviting tourism ministers from the neighboring countries for the opening of the national tourism campaign. Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Tourism Board, Prachanda Man Shrestha, said that as the campaign has already been launched, it would be formally inaugurated on January 14 with the theme ‘Together for Tourism’. Political leaders, private sector and tourism entrepreneurs, representatives of the film industry and sports persons has already expressed their commitment to make NTY-2011 a grand success. The preparation for the campaign is already ...