This time it’s the Shey Phoksundo Lake of Dolpa that is known for its deep blue waters, serenity and ever-fresh beauty.

It’s unfortunate that the lake is reportedly losing its unique features that make it beautiful, majorly because of the pollution and resultant environmental impact.

‘Wastage Dumps by Tourists Causing Concern’

As the reports say, the lake is now under serious threat caused by lack of conservation efforts, soil erosion and waste dumping activity Yarsagumba collectors.

“The lake is very wide, and though you cannot figure out how it is getting polluted, its water is not fresh as it was earlier. Visitors have been dumping garbage in its vicinity,” says Lotai Lama, a member of Thasung Chhorling Gumba, located on the eastern side of the lake.

“People who come to collect Yarsagumba dumb a lot of garbage in the area. Along with them, tourists have also been adding to the pollution and making the lake dirty,” Lama adds.

The lake lies at an altitude of 3,635 meters above the sea level and the surrounding region is famous for rare and very-costly herb caterpillar herb called Yarsagumba (usually found in similar high altitudes of Dolpa).

Given this fact, thousands of tourists including women and children visit this place for collecting that herb and dump non-decomposable and harmful waste during their stay, leaving heaps of garbage in the region.

“Nobody cleans the wastes. Visitors and Yarsha collectors are only making the area dirtier every year. The water of the lake, whose color is presently like dark ink, will someday change to something horrible,” says Lama.

Lama adds that the lake is known for its deep blue water, which is now visible only in its middle portion, while the lake has turned green with fungi on its banks.

“But you can also see how the lake is now getting polluted by garbage. It is unfortunate to see such irresponsible behavior from the visitors,” says Lama with deep concern.

Besides, a river formed out of the water running through the lake’s stream, Phoksundo stream, has also turned muddy!

“Since around a decade, garbage has been gradually dumped here, and the area is now polluted like never before. If serious attention is not given, we will lose this wonderful asset. Authorities concerned should stop people from collecting Yarsagumba in this area,” says another local named Rabi Lama.

‘Need to Act on Conservation’

Meanwhile, Water Resource Management Expert, Ang Bahadur Lama says the landslides and climate change impact are also the reasons for Lake’s diminishing beauty.

“The climate pattern seems to have changed; we are experiencing harsh weathers these days. This puts natural resources under threat in one or the other way. Landslides and imbalance in water flow from the mountains can be noticed. On the other hand, people are not sensitive towards waste management; they have littered the lake,” says Ang Bahadur.

There is a need to research the issue while also taking concrete action to conserve it, adds Bahadur.

‘Govt. Been Negligent’

Rigjin Aadgyal Budha, Chairperson of Phoksundo Lake Conservation Committee, says the government has been negligent towards the conservation and research on the Lake.

“We always believed that depth of the lake is 650 meters. But in 2004, the government came up with different fact. We are not satisfied with it,” says Budha.

Following the controversy over the research study, the government has decided to remeasure the depth of the Lake. Locals are eagerly waiting for the next results, adds Budha.

Meanwhile, hotels around the area are also causing a serious concern by dumping their wastage into drainage holes. “We are trying to find a permanent solution for dumping wastes coming out of the hotels,” says Neema Lama, President of Ward-8 of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality and a hotel entrepreneur.

Considering the above facts, one can gauge the seriousness of the damage being caused to the ‘Shey Phoksundo Lake of Dolpa’. Its high time for the government to act upon and take necessary measures for conservation of the Lake.

It will also be a great opportunity for the Nepal Tourism Board and Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign authorities to take up tourism destinations like this as part of their development measures.

Stay tuned for more updates on many such interesting news and feature updates about Nepal!

Also Read:

• Rara Lake – Nepal’s Largest Lake with Growing Tourism

The post ‘Shey Phoksundo Lake’ of Dolpa Losing Out, Govt Urged to Act! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

A 13-time Everest Climber Phurba Tenzing Sherpa is launching a special tourism drive by hoisting a flag atop the world’s highest peak.

The drive, set to begin this spring season, will promote the ‘Mero Gaun Mero Thau’ (My Village, My Place) campaign.

Handing over the drive flag to Sherpa, National Assembly member Komal Oli said the video challenge part of the campaign will help in promoting Nepal tourism potential and urged all the tourism community to participate.

On the occasion, Sherpa pledged to hoist the flag at the top of Mt Everest i.e. at 8,848 metre height to raise tourism awareness.

Mero Gaun, Mero Thau

We Will Rise Foundation (WWRF) launched the campaign on January 01, 2019 in coordination with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and other organizations working for the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign.

The campaign aims to shed light on unexplored destinations, indigenous communities, local culture & tradition, art & craftsmanship, and other tourism-related activities through the videos submitted to WWRF.

Visit Nepal 2020 campaign coordinator Suraj Vaidya also expressed hope that the campaign would add to the government’s plans to achieve 2 million tourist arrival target through the Visit Nepal Year campaign.

Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, Ultra-runner Meera Rai, former national footballer Raju Kaji Shakya, artistes and mountaineers were among other key participants at the event.

The competition will last until May 31, 2019.

Showcase the Talent!

The video submissions for the campaign has the following rules:

• HD quality videos not exceeding five minutes
• Videos can be shot using smartphone or digital camera
• More than one video with different themes can be submitted
• Any individual, group or organizations can participate
• Winners will be selected from the Top-10 selected videos. First prize winner will get
  NPR 100,000 cash prize, while the second will get NPR 50,000 and NPR 25,000 to the third.
• Video that gets good social media traction (Fb and YouTube) will get the ‘Mero Gaun Mero Thau People’s Choice Award’ along with NPR 100,000 cash prize
• Videos with the best editing and best script shall receive NPR 25,000, each
• More details of the competition can be found at wwrf.org.np

What are you waiting for? Get your cameras ready to capture the best things around!

The post Tourism Drive From Mt. Everest to Promote ‘Unexplored Nepal’ appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Then you should visit Nepal! The Himalayan nation gives you a fresh experience of nature and wide varieties of art forms that speak culture and heritage!

Nepal holds some high value in terms of tourism, as evident in its tourism destinations like Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara, Lumbini, among others. Each of these have their own unique features in enthusing tourists, with some of them even recognized as UNESCO Heritage Sites.

In this article, we will take a look at UNESCO Heritage Sites in Nepal:

UNESCO classifies Nepali tourism sites into two different categories: UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites and UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites.

1)  UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites in Nepal

• Chitwan National Park, recognized in 1984
• Sagarmatha National Park, recognized in 1979

2) UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites include

• 7 different sites in Kathmandu Valley, recognized in 1979

1. Durbar Square
2. Hanuman Dhoka
3. Patan and Bhaktapur
4. Swayambhunath
5. Bauddhanath
6. Pashupathinath
7. Changu Narayan Temple

• Lumbini, recognized in 1997

Besides, there are also many other Nepal tourism sites on UNESCO’s tentative list, which includes:

1. Early medieval architecture complex of Panauti (enlisted in 1996)
2. Tilaurakot, the archaeological remains of ancient Shakya Kingdom (enlisted in 1996)
3. Cave architecture of Muktinath Valley, Mustang (enlisted in 1996)
4. Medieval Palace Complex of Gorkha (enlisted in 1996)
5. Ramagrama, Relic stupa of Lord Buddha (enlisted in 1996)
6. Khokana and its mustard-oil seed industrial heritage (enlisted in 1996)
7. Medieval Earthen Walled City of Lo Manthang (enlisted in 2008)
8. Vajrayogini and Early Settlement of Sankhu (enlisted in 2008)
9. Medieval Settlement of Kirtipur (enlisted in 2008)
10. Rishikesh Complex of Ruru Kshetra (enlisted in 2008)
11. Nuwakot Palace Complex (enlisted in 2008)
12. Ram Janaki Temple (enlisted in 2008)
13. The Medieval Town of Tansen (enlisted in 2008)
14. Sinja Valley (enlisted in 2008)
15. Bhurti Temple Complex of Dailekh (enlisted in in 2008)

List not exhaustive! Nepal is home to many such heritage sites left unexplored.

Hope the ongoing tourism infrastructure developments, increasing tourist arrivals year-on-year, initiatives like Visit Nepal Year 2020 and continuous tourism promotions will bring many such unexplored Nepali tourism spots to the limelight!

Stay tuned for more breaking news on Nepal Tourism!

Also Read:

• Rising Nepal Tourist Arrivals in 2019

The post A Glance at ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal’ appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Organized in collaboration with the Nepali Embassy of Berlin and eTN Corporation, the launch evening saw more than 300 VIP attendees from the tourism fraternity of Sri Lanka and Jamaica.

The Nepali tourism team dedicated the event to Adhikari recalling his achievements and contributions to the Nepal Tourism industry in his one-year tenure.

“Today, was supposed to be a special day of celebration but as you all know, we have unfortunately lost the Architect of the VN2020 campaign, our beloved Hon. Minister and other members in a tragic air accident a few days back. It was his dream to launch the VN2020 campaign at the ITB,” Nandini Lahe-Thapa, Director Of Marketing for NTB, said in a statement.

She went on to say that it was a tough challenge for them to launch the campaign without its architect.

“But for Nepal and Nepalis, Resilience is our strongest ……. and we decided that the greatest Tribute to him would be to carry his Vision forward with dedication and determination,” she added.

“During his short term as minister he has help moved the tourism sector of his country forward, and we were all looking forward to see all of achievements. He will be greatly missed,” said Mario Hardy, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

NTB CEO Deepak Joshi presented Nepal’s tourism potential through an interesting video that featured Nepal’s top tourism destinations and exotic locations.

Taleb Rifai, former UNWTO Secretary General, lauded Nepal’s tourism leadership and initiatives taken for tourism development.

Meanwhile, Nepal Embassy in Germany formed a Visit Nepal Year 2020 tourism Task Group under the leadership of Nepali Ambassador to Germany Ramesh Prasad Khanal.

On the occasion, Khanal called on world leaders for their support in achieving the objectives of the ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ campaign.

German journalist Peter Hinze was honored for his award-winning book on Nepal, while Dil Gurung Schouler was also recognized for 25 years of his dedicated services as a Nepal tourism representative in Germany.

Also Read:

• Bardiya National Park Bags ‘Best Sustainable Destination in Asia Pacific’ Award
• 2018 Nepal Tourist Arrivals: Reaches Magical 1 Million Mark

The post Visit Nepal Year 2020 Launched at ITB Berlin, Leaders Laud Nepal Tourism appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

We can see that in the country’s centuries-old temples, historical architectures and rituals that are on focus of global audience even in this modern world. Thanks for the ancients who preserved it for future generations!

Because of these unique qualities, world tourists make their way to Nepal for an unforgettable and peaceful experience.

And, this makes Nepal stand among the list of every world tourist, irrespective of religion, creed and geography.

When we have to speak about Nepal tourism, Kathmandu Valley is one that needs a special mention. The Valley is a destination for many UNESCO World Heritage Sites including age-old architectures such as palaces, monuments, religious centers and many others that attract tourists.

Here we will see the 5 famous temples in Kathmandu that need a special mention

1) Pashupatinath Temple:

Kathmandu is a special place for world Hindu community majorly for Pashupathinath Temple, the shrine of the supreme Lord Shiva. The temple has its rich history of more than 2000 years and is one of the oldest temples in Gaushala of Kathmandu. As per the Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva is also called as ‘Pashupathi’ meaning the ‘king of all animals (and all beings)’.

Pashupathi is the Lord’s incarnation and is one of the eight Rudras holding the place of fire. The temple houses a five-faced idol of Lord Shiva, which represents all forms, elements and directions of the Universe. The shrine has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Lakhs od Hindu devotees reach out to this place for famous Nepali festival, i.e. Teej. 

2) Santaneshwor Mahadev Temple:

A great legend forms the basis of this Shiva shrine. It is believed that the temple stands on the hill, which is the place where one of the body parts of Goddess Sati fell down when Lord Shiva was carrying her (in distress) corpse after Sati performed self-immolation. Located in Jharuwarasi of Lalitpur, this shrine is most sought for those praying for children. 

3) Kailashnath Mahadev:

Located on the border of Bhaktapur and Kavre districts, Kailashnath Mahadev in Sangha is famous as the shrine with the tallest Shiva idol in Asia. The statue here stands 142 feet tall and aside from its pedestal, with main idol itself being 108-feet tall. Interesting, ‘108’ is a special number in Hindu mythology. The idol can be also be viewed on the way to Dhulikhel. The temple premises is widely spread across 400,000 sqft. area and also includes a resort, yoga & meditation center and health club.

4) Gokarna Mahadev Temple:

Located in the eastern part of the Valley, Gokarna Mahadev Temple is a shrine of rich history and high religious significance. Built in a three-tiered structure, the temple represents the grandness of Newari pagoda style architecture. The stone carvings around the temple stand as special attraction and are thousands’ years old. The temple also presents the sculptures of various Hindu deities in ancient carving styles.

5) Doleshwar Mahadev Temple:

Doleshwar Mahadev Temple of Bhaktapur is 20 km away from the Kathmandu city center. It is believed that the trip to India’s Kedarnath will not be complete without a visit to Doleshwar Mahadeva and Pashupatinath. As per the local legend, Doleshwor Mahadev is believed to be the missing head of the Kedarnath.

Excited to visit! Then plan your trip to enlightenment! Kathmandu Valley also presents many such shrines with rich heritage and history.

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• 2018 Nepal Tourist Arrivals: Reaches Magical 1 Million Mark
• Nepal Opens Food Culture to the World
• Nepali Handicrafts – Tradition Alive! More of Art and Creative Vision

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Inching closer to the Visit Nepal 2020 landmark, Nepal Tourism Board registered a tourist arrival record of 1,173,072  arrivals between January-December 2018!

The Board projected a 17 percent increase compared to the same period in 2017.

24 Percent Growth Year-on-Year

Nepal Tourism witnessed a growth of 24 percent with 1,173,072 foreign tourists visiting Nepal in 2018 against 940,218 in the previous year!

Following are the statistics of tourists according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB):

• Totally 969,287 tourists visited Nepal via air and 203,785 tourists came via land
• Nepal witnessed a significant rise in Chinese tourists as more than 50,000 Chinese visited the country
• Tourists from SAARC Countries increased by 26.3 percent with India alone registering more than  200,000 tourists
• The Himalayan nation also witnessed a 55 percent rise in Sri Lankan tourist visits as compared to last year
• Likewise, American, Australian, English and European tourists visiting Nepal have also increased

Tourism stakeholders are happy with this achievement of reaching the magical number which has been sought after, since two decades.

“This was possible only because all of us worked hard. The coordination between government agencies, tourism entrepreneurs and media has helped us take tourism to the next step,” said NTB CEO Deepak Raj Joshi.

NTB has started a campaign Visit Nepal 2020 to draw two million tourists by 2020. However, the goal is seeing a lot of hurdles, the Pokhara international airport is one among them.

The Tourism Board believes that it will be easy to bring in tourists if a new international airport would be ready by 2020.

India Tops List of Tourist Arrivals in Nepal

According to the Board, the tourism curve continued upward throughout the peak tourist season between October-November, 2018. Surprisingly, the increased tourist number during the period excludes overland international visitors.

If the tourist growth rate was calculated including tourists arrivals via land, then the figures would have jumped to 23 percent.

India topped the list of tourist arrivals in Nepal between January-November 2018 with a record 260,124 visitors, followed by Chinese tourists at 134,362 arrivals, Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

Beyond neighboring countries, Nepal also tourist arrivals from Europe, US and Australia with a healthy growth of 224,206, 82,870 and 33,528 tourists, respectively.

Nepal Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi attributed Nepal’s reinforcement as one of the most preferred tourist destinations, to the country’s extraordinary visitor growth rate

“The growth can be attributed to concerted efforts of Government of Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board, private sector travel trade and media towards promotion of overall tourism sector in the international tourism arena,” said Joshi.

Autumn Kick-Starts Nepal Tourism Season

The tourism season has kicked off in Nepal with a 33.8 percent increase in September 2018!

Nepal experiences Autumn in the period between September- November, which is considered the ‘best time’ to visit the Himalayan Nation. 

According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), 91, 820 foreigners visited Nepal in September 2018 alone.

Currently, the Nepal tourism industry is doing well going by the number of tourists who have visited the country since January 2018. NTB has recorded a total of 772, 798 foreigners, which has increased by 20 percent compared to the same period in 2017.

According to NTB statistics, following is the summarization of tourist arrivals by the country during the month of September 2018:

• Tourists from India doubled compared to August 2018, marking 16,345 arrivals in September 2018
• Chinese tourists increased to 12, 947 in September 2018, recording a 55 percent growth
• Sri Lankan arrivals jumped to 8,807 indicating a 57.1 percent
• Japan and South Korea projected an 8.9 percent and 9.2 percent growth, respectively
• SAARC countries accounted for 52.8 percent Y-o-Y growth
• Non-SAARC Asian countries registered a significant growth of 42.6 percent
• European countries registered an overall growth of 66.3 percent arrivals compared to September 2017
• Germany & France projected 30.09 percent and 19 percent, respectively
• However, Nepal tourism witnessed a decrease in Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian arrivals, with each registering 9, 4, 9 and 2 percent respectively in September 2018

NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi credited the ‘rigorous promotional activity’ for the healthy growth of Nepal’s tourism sector.

Nepal earned Rs 67.09 billion from its tourism industry in FY 2017-18.

July Tourist Arrivals in Nepal Touch 73.5 Percent

Witnessing an upward curve in the month of July, visitors to Nepal increased to 73.5 percent for the Jan-July period of 2018!

The magnificent increase is attributed to the rise in the number of tourists from countries like India, China, UK, and USA, according to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) statistics.

Nepal July 2018 Statistics:

• Nepal welcomed 73,285 international tourists in July, most of who visited Tibet’s Kailash Manasarovar through Nepal
• 18,385 Indian tourists visited Nepal via flight in 2018, showing an 80.4 percent Y-o-Y rise
• After India, China accounted for the highest number of visitors to Nepal resulting in a double-fold increase of 13,123 visitors. This amounts to a 125.4 percent increase compared with the last year
• Japan and South Korea visitors increased by 36 percent and 21.9 percent, respectively
• Overall visitors from SAARC countries recorded a growth of 66 percent in comparison with July 2017
• Asian tourists (excluding SAARC) accounted for a growth of 86.2 percent
• Nepal recorded a 54.1 percent overall tourist increase from Europe
• UK, Germany, and Spain showed an increase of 68.9, 53.9 and 41.2 percent
• Australia and New Zealand showed a significant growth of 113. 9 and 75.2 percent, as compared with July 2017
• Visitors from the US and Canada grew by 76.9 percent and 73.3 percent, respectively

“In addition to neighboring markets, the Asia Pacific region has seen rapid economic development in recent times. The positive growth in visitor arrivals from all major markets is highly encouraging and undoubtedly present significant opportunities to the travel and trade sector and to the entire country,” said Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO, NTB.

Although there are a number of reasons behind the increasing numbers, NTB has identified ‘promotional programs’ as one of the key reasons.

“Destination promotion, travel marts, sales missions, business to business (B2B) and business to consumers are the major programs that have been continuously organized in major source markets,” reads a press statement issued by the NTB.

May 2018 Tourist Arrivals in Nepal

Recent statistics by the Department of Tourism have shown a 9.6 percent rise in the number of tourists visiting Nepal in the month of May 2018, year-on-year.

When it comes to the overall 2018 tourist arrivals in Nepal, the first five months of the year saw a 12.5 percent year-on-year growth.

According to the department, a total of 68,825 foreign tourists visited Nepal during the month, with SAARC countries alone showing a 2.2 percent rise over the same month last year and Asia (other than SAARC) accounting to 14.2 percent rise.

Nepal saw 940,218 foreign tourists in 2017 with most of them coming from neighboring nations, followed by the US, Canada, Australia and Europe, among others.

The latest announcement comes as an encouragement to Nepal Tourism department, which is aiming at 2 million annual tourist arrival target by 2020.

Celebrating the growth in tourism activity, the Himalayan country is also planning to observe 2020 as the Visit Nepal Year.

Average Duration of Stay

In contrast to the rising tourist arrival trend, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation statistics indicate a drop in the average duration of foreign tourists’ stay in Nepal in 2017, terming that as a seven-year low.

According to the department of tourism, 2017 saw a 6% drop in the duration of stay, year-on-year, missing the target of 14 days.

The average duration of stay was just 12.6 days in 2017, less than 13.4 days in 2016, 13.16 days in 2015, 12.44 in 2014, 12.60 in 2013, 12.16 in 2012, 13.12 in 2011 and 12.67 in 2010.

The department analyzed the length of stay of 400,000 tourists as part of the survey.

According to Bikram Pandey-Kaji, a campaigner for Buddhist circuit cross-border tourism, the rise in 4-5 day packages has contributed to decline in the duration of stay among foreign tourists.

“The data may change but the decline in the number is not so alarming,” he said. “The fluctuation in statistical calculation has occurred because of an increasing number of tourists visiting more than two places during one travel. So, they have a shorter stay in Nepal,” says Pandey.

“In 2017, the country was facing infrastructure issues, political changes, pollution and other obstacles. So, most of the tourists may have preferred to shorten their lengths of stay in Nepal,” Binayak Shah, General Secretary of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN).

 “In any case, rather than the number of days, the amount they spend here matters more,”  he adds. The average spending of a foreign tourist per day in Nepal increased to USD 54 in 2017 from USD 53 of the previous year.

Shah is hopeful that the things would get better gradually in 2018.

Also Read:

• Nepal, The Perfect Tourism Destination for an Unforgettable Holiday Experience

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In a recent update, the World Book of Records (WBR) London listed Nepal’s Pashupathinath and Lumbini in its big archive.

While Pashupathinath was listed as one of the world’s oldest temples with high mythological significance, Lumbini (birthplace of Lord Buddha) was featured as the most-visited temples in the world.

The two Nepal’s iconic structures received this rare honor at a function held in Kathmandu recently.

In his address at the event, Nepal Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari thanked #WBRLondon for identifying the significance of the two iconic centres.

He expressed hope that WBR would recognize more such heritage structures of Nepal to its list in the future.

WBR also honored Himalayan Bank Chairman Manoj Bahadur Shrestha for his contribution to the Nepali banking sector and Sagar Katuwal for his services to the elderly across the nation.

On the occasion, Dwarika’s Hotel was also awarded with the World Standardization Certificate (WSC) for its world-class hospitality services.

WBR is one of the world’s leading organizations that offers international certification for world records, with global operations across UK, USA, Australia, Mauritius and India, among others.

Also Read:

• Nepal’s Lumbini Among ‘Best in Asia 2018’ Tourism Destinations

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The four-day expo offered a great platform for representatives in exhibiting their potential tourism destinations.

As part of their efforts to project Nepal as a perfect destination for Japanese, Nepal’s representatives informed participants about the country’s latest tourism updates, especially the Nepal Airlines connecting Kathmandu and Tokyo with direct flight very soon.

The participants hoped that the ongoing developments will ensure Japanese travelers, an easy communication and direct access to Nepal in the near future.

The expo served as an ideal platform for travel professionals, offering them a platform for information exchange, business meetings and other sessions they presented to inspire consumers about the travel experience.

The event also saw wide varieties of presentations that showcased diverse travel & lifestyle and related trends emerging out of that.

Besides NTB, Nepal Airlines and four private tourism operators: Around The Himalayas, Liberty Holidays, Hotel Shambala and Netra Travels and Tours backed Nepal’s participation at the expo.

Nepal-Japan Tourism

Nepal-Japan tourism cooperation holds high significance majorly because of their commonalities in spirituality, Buddhist culture, among others, which make Japanese the most usual travelers to most-sought travel destinations of Nepal.

Besides, Japanese travelers also hold high spending power, which makes it beneficiary for Nepal tourism revenues.

Now, the two countries are eagerly waiting for the Tourism Expo Japan 2019 that is scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan from October 24-27, 2019.

Neighbor-First Strategy
Nepal is currently riding high on its goal of achieving 2 million tourist arrivals. As part of its strategy, the country has been serious about drawing arrivals from close neighbors.

Another recent move in this regard was the appointment of politician-turned Indian actress Jaya Prada as its new goodwill ambassador to India.

It’s really exciting to watch what more Nepal will do to achieve its ‘2 million tourist arrival target’ as part of its ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’.

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In a recent update, Lonely Planet featured Nepal’s Lumbini in its ‘Best in Asia’ top-ten list of tourism destinations for 2018.

Lumbini grabbed the seventh position preceded by Busan of South Korea at the top, Uzbekistan, Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam, Western Ghats of India, Nagasaki of Japan and Chiang Mai of Thailand and followed by other three places from Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia.

What Lonely Planet Said?
For decades, Lumbini was somewhere travelers flashed through enroute from India to Nepal, often unaware that they had passed within yards of the birthplace of the historical Buddha. Today, thanks to the efforts of the international Buddhist community, Lumbini is on the ascendancy,” Lonely Planet said on its website.

It further added that the destination is missing to recognize its full potential despite a rich historical background.

“Despite its heritage, this sacred site remains a sleepy detour off the backpacker trail,” the travel guide added in its online publication.

Speaking further about Lumbini’s prospects, Lonely Planet felt the development of new international airport under construction, connectivity enhancement and coming up of more temples can take the Lumbini’s progress to the next level.

While these developments may finally be the catalyst that brings Lumbini the attention it deserves, the town’s cardinal draw will remain its tranquility – embodied by the rare sarus cranes that stalk the wetlands around the World Peace Pagoda, Lonely Planet said in a release.

Top 21 Tourist Attractions in Lumbini

‘Best in Asia’ 2018
According to Laura Hamilton, Lonely Planet’s PR & Communications Manager for Asia-Pacific, the ‘Best in Asia 2018’ list presents the agenda-setting collection of the continent’s best places to visit in 2018.

Our experts have combed through thousands of recommendations to pick the best destinations to visit over the next 12 months,” says Chris Zeiher, Asia-Pacific Media Spokesperson, Lonely Planet.

Read Also:

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• Nepal, The Perfect Tourism Destination
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• Nepal, Ilam Tourist Attractions and Info

The post Nepal’s Lumbini Among ‘Best in Asia 2018’ Tourism Destinations appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

A decision in this regard was taken at the 3^rd Indo-Nepal Friendship Meet jointly organized by the office of the Nepal Consulate General’s in Calcutta and the Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT) in Mirik.

As part of the event, concerned stakeholders and people in the border areas of both the regions decided to discuss with their respective governments on ways to enhance road connectivity, promote homestay accommodation in Nepal and conduct publicity campaigns through relevant agencies and boards.

The two sides discussed to launch special campaigns promoting tourism destinations of both the regions in December 2018.

It is the nearest metro that generates a huge number of tourists every year. There will be a Himalayan Orange Tourism Festival in Calcutta in December, where the destinations on both sides of the border will be highlighted – Samrat Sanyal, Travel Trade Expert

The latest decision is coming as a result of rounds of deliberations between the concerned stakeholders over the period to develop a combined tourist circuit promoting tourism potential of both regions.

What Stakeholders Said?

According to the stakeholders, the plan to develop an integrated circuit will boost the tourist sectors of north Bengal and eastern Nepal.

Along with the campaign plan for new destinations, we also intend to focus on conservation of nature and wildlife. In this region, it is necessary to work for conservation of the elephant, red panda and the salamander. There should be an elephant sanctuary in eastern Nepal –Raj Basu, Representative of ACT

Sanyal further informed that a special meeting would be also held in eastern Nepal bringing together the other adjoining countries in the exercise for a combined promotion of tourist destinations in these countries.

The idea is to offer a larger canvas to tourists so that they can have more choices and simultaneously help in economic empowerment of stakeholders, particularly in rural areas, adds Sanyal.

On the occasion, Basu highlighted that the achievement of the Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It is necessary to increase the scope of the site to contiguous areas in eastern Nepal and the Himalayan tracts of Bengal, adds Basu.

Stakeholders further added that they would also press for development of new tourism information centers in Mirik close to the India-Nepal border to promote destinations on either side of the Indo-Nepal border.

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