Sahara Holidays Nepal

The natural scenery, high mountains, incomparable cultural heritage and numerous specialties have made Nepal a well-known destination in the world tourism map with a distinct image of its own. However, the development of tourism is limited in number and within the certain areas of the country only. The new government has shown greater concerns about the real value of tourism and its role in contributing to economic growth, poverty alleviation, equity and overall tourism development in the country.

Therefore, the government is placing high priority on the tourism sector in its new economic development policy. As there is a favorable political situation in the country, the government is all geared towards economic revolution in next 10 years for the up-liftment of the masses. In this connection, government of Nepal in consultation with Nepalese Tourism Industry, concerned organizations and experts decided to launch a national tourism campaign “Nepal Tourism Year 2011″. This announcement reflects the government’s anticipation to bring into at least one million international tourists in Nepal by the year 2011 and spread the benefits of tourism to the people at large. The national campaign also indicates the tourism industry’s exigency to organize a tourism promotion campaign having wider impact.

With the glittering badge of adventure destination and the adage “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guests are Gods) that reflects “Atithi Satkar, Nepaliko Sanskar” (Hospitality is Nepalese culture) deeply rooted in our culture, the tourism products of Nepal never cease to mesmerize the visitors. The cultural, geographical, ethnic and bio-diversities of the country allure international visitors to Nepal time and again which truly substantiates the spirit of Nepal tourism brand; ‘Naturally Nepal, once is not enough !

The concept of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 envisions harnessing these opportunities and strengths and bringing together the commitment of the government, expertise and experiences of the organizations like Nepal Tourism Board, aptitude and dynamism of the private sector and communities for further tourism development in the country. Active involvement of the major political parties, members of the Constitution Assembly and Right groups is always taken into consideration in order to make the campaign inclusive and participatory in modus operandi and effective in result. The campaign will also focus on mobilizing the networks of the Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN) communities, Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad, I/NGOs, airlines, and national and international media. Similarly, friends and well-wishers of Nepal, tourism academicians and celebrities will also be approached in order to highlight the campaign internally as well as internationally. NTB

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Trekking Agencies´ Association of Nepal (TAAN) inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 18 to implement Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Card effectively effective  April 1,  2010. The MoU was signed by Prachanda Man Shrestha, NTB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Mr. Bacchu Narayan Shrestha, 1st  Vice President of TAAN on behalf of their respective institutions.

The new rule is made mandatory for all overseas trekkers. Now trekkers travelling through trekking companies have to pay $10 and free individual trekkers (FIT) need to pay $20 per trekking route.

Explaining the use of the fund collected from this provision, Prachanda Man Shrestha, NTB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said, “The funds collected through the new levy will be used for developing trekking sector, welfare of its employees,  trekking workers´ insurance, medical,  social security,  maintaining database, rescue of trekkers in need of emergency services and also bearing the administrative expenses of implementing TIMS,international promotion, infrastructure expansion, conservation and maintenance of existing trekking trails and exploration of new trails apart from holding training for sustainable and responsible tourism.”

The money collected from TIMS will be desposited in separate bank accounts and a committee having coordinator from Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and members from NTB and TAAN will allot the fund for different programs.

Officials elaborated that the charge is being imposed as per the new TIMS Operating Directives, which designates NTB as its implementing agency and grants it authority to work with government, local bodies and stakeholders concerned for its enforcement.

Prachanda Man Shrestha said the concept of TIMS was employed on an experimental basis two years ago but now there is official agreement on it. According to him, the amount collected through TIMS will be used for the welfare of tourism sector workers, exploration of new trail destinations and as fund for the improvement and infrastructure development on trail routes.

Source by: NTB

Nepal Tourism Board, in co-ordination with Nepal Airlines Corporation and Nepalese private tourism companies, participated in MATTA Fair from 12-14 March 2010 in Kuala Lumpur. The MATTA Fair organized by Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, supported by Tourism Malaysia and endorsed by Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia, is a number one Malaysian consumer travel exhibition.

There was a good response of Malaysian visitors and tour operators to the Nepal stall. Nepal stall was decorated with flex posters beautifully designed with diverse nature, culture and adventure tourism attractions of Nepal. Nepal Tourism Year 2011 was highlighted and promoted at the stall throughout the fair. Several queries on Nepal tour packages, air connectivity, air fares, tourism activities in Nepal and queries on NTY 2011 highlights were replied on the occasion.
MATTA Fair is a very popular travel fair in Malaysia getting a huge influx and response of travel trade and public visitors.  The MATTA Fair – March 2010 with more than 900 booths was big platform for all the avid travelers to explore for the best travel bargains and discounts on the tour packages, air tickets and other travel related products

With the objective of promoting the “Nepal Tourism Year 2011″ to the international travel trade and media, Nepal Tourism Board along with 19 leading travel trade companies from Nepal, successfully participated in the worlds largest gathering of travel trade professionals in the 44th ITB Fair held in Berlin, Germany from 10th to 14th March 2010. The participation of approximately 12000 exhibiting companies from 187 countries in the fair from the international travel industry, revealed an extremely positive response for the upcoming holiday season of European travelers.

The Nepal Pavilion was very noticeable due to its unique and traditional pagoda style design and the display of cultural artifacts like various wood carvings, Mane, Thangka along with Nepal flags with the logo of NTY 2011.  The international trade visitors this year accounted for around 45 per cent of the total attendance at ITB Berlin and the exhibiting Nepalese companies had good business interaction with them during the first three days. Germany remains the most important source market of Europe basically for adventure tourism and a good number of consumers enquired for the soft as well as hard adventure activities in Nepal. This years’ participation revealed encouraging signs for the Nepalese travel industry as most of the queries were targeted on knowing more about the accessibility, destination updates and new offers. Many of the consumers were keen to know more about Nepal Tourism Year 2011 programs and special offers during the year.

Capitalizing on presence of International Trade Visitors, Nepal Tourism Board had organized a “Naturally Nepal Evening” to showcase the NTY-2011 on 11th March. An enthusiastic crowd of media and travel trade guests enjoyed the traditional folk dances of Nepal and the typical Nepali cuisine. During his welcome address the Ambassador for Germany, Suresh Pradhan highlighted on the excellent bilateral relations between Nepal & Germany and stressed the importance of outbound potential of German market. He also requested to German media, travel trade and friends of Nepal to publicize Nepal Tourism Year 2011 He invited international airlines to operate direct flights between Nepal & Germany and to reap the mutual benefits from the liberal open sky policy of Nepal.

Ms Nandini Lahe-Thapa, Director for Tourism Marketing & Promotion while highlighting on the concept and goals of NTY 2011, stressed on the need for all the stakeholders to work in collaboration “Together for Tourism” for achieving the target of one million tourist arrivals for 2011. The news about the pledge by Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, the Prime Minister of Nepal to mobilize all government mechanisms to develop tourism infrastructure and to ensure cooperation for the success of NTY-2011 and the public commitment by the leaders of 19 political parties and representatives from all sectors of business and trade not to organize any strike or disturbances during the year 2011 was warmly welcomed by the attendees.
The ITB 2010 was a prefect platform to promote the NTY2011 in the background of growing confidence and apparent interest in Nepal as a unique holiday destination again.

The Sankhu (Sakwo:) Mahotsav (festival) is being organized in Sankhu, during 2-4 April 2010(20-22 Chaitra 2066 in Nepali calendar) in Sankhu during the main festival of the goddess Vajrayogini’s descent to Sankhu from her temple complex, 2KM above the hill in the North of Sankhu. The Goddess Vajrayogini’s festival in itself is a unique and not-to-miss religious cum cultural event. The Mahotsav adds a lot more full-day (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM) exhibitions, cultural extravaganza and food festival that displays the rich cultural heritage of the goddess Vajrayogini, Sankhu and surrounding villages.

Friday 2 April 2010

Beginning of the main chariot procession of the Goddess Vajrayogini;
Display of traditional music, dance, heritage groups in front of the procession;
Participation by each household of Sankhu in the procession with traditional lights, traditional banners;
Exhibition of traditional books, artifacts, cultural heritage of Sankhu and surrounding villages;
Photo exhibition  of the goddess Vajrayogini, her temple complex, Madhav Narayan and Swasthani pilgrimage as well as other cultural, religious, social, economic and tourism specific heritage sites (in Dhunla Tole);
Continuous video display of cultural heritage of Sankhu (in Chalakhu Tole);
Religious hymns programme (in Ipa Tole);

Traditional Newar snacks and food stalls in different Toles accompanied by similar food delicacies stalls from other communities from surrounding villages;
Exhibition by specialized organizations on agriculture, renewable energy, rural energy technology, reuse, recycle technology and employment oriented occupations suitable for peri-urban areas such as Sankhu;

Saturday 3 April 2010 and

Nagarkot – Paluwari – Sankhu mountain bike rally;
Continuation of Programmes of 2 April except the chariot procession of the Goddess Vajrayogini;
Newa Bhwaye (food festival offering delicacies of Newar people); accompanied by food delicacy stalls from other communities
Talent show (cultural programme) by youths;

Sunday, 4 April 2010
Continuation of Programmes of 2 April except the chariot procession of the Goddess Vajrayogini;
Fine art competition by school students;
Newa Bhwaye (food festival offering delicacies of Newar people); accompanied by food delicacy stalls from other communities
Musical Concert in the evening feature-ing Newar, Tamang and Nepali Songs;

The twelfth Nepal-Tibet Economic and Trade fair is taking place in the Tibetan city of Sigatse next week.

The five-day trade fair will start on September 3. It will be the largest such international level trade fair organized in Tibet in two years, according to RSS, the national news agency. nepalnews.com

If all goes as planned, the suspended bus service between Kathmandu and Lhasa, the capital of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, is likely to resume within few days.

The decision to resume the direct bus service was taken during a two-day meeting between officials of the Nepal Tourism Board and Tibet Tourism Administration few months ago.

Nepal’s tourism officials had started work on the direct bus service in order to insert a new momentum to the upcoming Nepal Tourism Year 2011.

China also aims at bringing in Indian, European and North American tourists into Tibet from the Nepal route, according to media reports.

The trans-Himalayan bus service, which commenced on May 1, 2005, was suspended in 2006 due to transportation permit hassles.

Both countries had started direct bus service between Kathmandu and Lhasa on April 29, 2005, 11 years after signing of a transport agreement between Nepal and China. nepalnews.com

With the slogan “Together for Tourism”, the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011 has been formally unveiled by the government on Friday.

Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the NTY 2011 by lighting a lamp brought from Lumbini, the birth-place of Gautam Buddha, in a special ceremony organized at the Nepal Army pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the government expects active help and support from everyone to make this national campaign a success.

PM Nepal also informed about the government plans to draw 1 million tourists to Nepal during the period.

According to data available, a little over 5,00,000 tourists visit Nepal each year. Nepal suddenly saw an increase in tourists visiting the country following the cessation of conflict in the country.

It is believed that NTY 2011 will help in boosting the national economy by brining in more tourists and also promote Nepal in the international market.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was a cultural programme displaying the tradition and cultural mores of various ethnic communities in the country.

Similarly, there was encouraging participation of representatives from political parties, tourism entrepreneurs, businessman, private sector, and people from various other sectors.

They had also participated in rallies taken out from different places in the capital which had later converged at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel.

Similar programmes were also organised in Biratnagar, Janakpur, Birgunj, Chitwan, Pokhara, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj today.

Various political parties, including the main opposition Unified CPN (Maoist), have already pledged to avoid strikes and bandhs in 2011 for the success of the NTY

The Pokhara Chapter of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) is organizing the 11th edition of Nepal Open Paragliding Championship in Pokhara from February 18.

“The three-day event has already become a major attraction in Nepal’s tourism calendar. We are organizing the event to promote the adventure sports of paragliding and promote Pokhara as a hub for adventure tourism,” a press statement issued by TAAN Pokhara Chapter stated.

The organizers are expecting the participation of about 150 gliders and over 45,000 spectators. There will be six events and the top three finishers of each even would get attractive prices.
Various entertaining and colorful programs will be organized at Khapaudi the landing site for the gliders.