The much-awaited Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) was officially launched amidst a grand and colourful ceremony at the Dasharath Stadium of Kathmandu on January 14, 2011.
Nepal’s President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav declared the mega national tourism campaign open.
The theme of NTY 2011 is "Together for Tourism; Tourism for Prosperity; Prosperity for Stability." The national tourism campaign aims to bring in one million international tourists in 2011.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said that sustainable peace could be possible only after accomplishing the goal of economic prosperity.
Prime Minister Nepal said that the national tourism campaign could pave the way for accelerating the economic prosperity. Tourism is an appropriate tool to bring about the economic revolution in the country, he said.
Shedding light on the importance of this multicoated industry, he said that the tourism industry was such a sector that could generate more jobs by making less investment as compared to their sectors.
He expressed the commitment to extending necessary support to the tourism industry.
He was of the opinion that tourism should not only be limited commercially, but it should also be adopted as a process of life.
He stressed the need to lengthen the stay of tourists in Nepal as to to generate more incomes and jobs.
He said that the government had already asked the local bodies to make additional investments in the tourism sector.
He also urged tourism entrepreneurs and all other stakeholders to make efforts to create a conducive environment for making NTY 2011 a success.
He said that the government had extended support for developing and upgrading facilities and services at the only international airport --Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
"The government has taken the initiatives to construct the second international airport at Nijgadh, and expansion and improvement of the Gautam Buddha Airport at Bhairahawa and the Pokhara Airport," he added.
He called on the political parties and their sister organizations not to organize any strike, blockade and bandh during NTY 2011, he urged them to extend their necessary support for making the event a success.
On the occasion, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sharat Singh Bhandari said that the political revolution of 2006 paved the way for the economic revolution.
"This mega national tourism event is materializing the people’s aspirations for bringing about the economic revolution in the country," he added.
He also urged one and all to show tourism-friendly conducts for developing the country through tourism.
Tourism Ministers from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Dr Taleb Rifai, high government officials from SAARC countries and other Asian nations like Iran, Laos, Cambodia, Kuwait, diplomats and high-level officials of the Government of Nepal were also present at the opening ceremony.
Tourism ministers from SAARC countries and the Secretary-General of the UNWTO and representatives of other international tourism-related organizations showed their commitments to working together for tourism.
Investors and leaders of labour unions joined hands with the slogan of ‘Tourism for Prosperity.’
Leaders passed on a peace torch brought from Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Leading the Constituent Assembly (CA) members and the government ministers, Chairman of the CA, Subash Nemwang and State Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Shatrudhn Prasad Singh expressed their solidarity for materializing the slogan ‘Prosperity for Stability’.
Various cultural shows were performed at the function.
Similarly, cultural demonstrations and rallies from almost all the communities from different parts of countries also performed. A large number of tourism entrepreneurs and employees attended the function with their banners and national flags.
More than 25,000 participants attended the inaugural ceremony.
Over 50 journalists from reputed media of India, the UK, China, Russia, Qatar and other countries also took part in the gathering.
During and after the inaugural ceremony, paragliders demonstrated para-motor shows in the sky.
