VNY 2020 UPDATE | August 2019 Minister of Culture, Tourism And Civil Aviation Hon. Yogesh Bhattarai I have recently assumed the office of the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and it is my foremost agenda to address all the bottlenecks that are holding back tourism from reaching its real potential in the country. There are a number of challenges, and it is going to be my personal focus to ensure that we address each setback in a systematic, effective and judicious way to ensure results that are not just surfacial but have a lasting impact on the growth and development of the industry. The Visit Nepal 2020 must not be viewed as a campaign only; it should be recognised as a national development strategy with ownership of the VNY 2020 across the nation by each citizen and the stakeholders of this industry. Right from the airport to every touch point that a visitor to © Laxmi Prasad Ngakhusi Nepal experiences must be converted to the best possible hospitality we as a country offer our Rt Hon. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli guests. This can be achieved only when every INSIDE citizen engages in the campaign. I understand that development of infrastructure is the key to the growth of tourism and I assure you that the government has placed high 8 priority on infrastructure development in the PERSPECTIVE country; my focus is to ensure that tourism Tourism trade associations related infrastructure gets due priority in on their expectations and implementation. recommendations for Visit Nepal 2020. The need at this hour is to improve our products, to design the campaign carefully, to refine our marketing strategies, to develop 11 human resource and to upgrade use of technology. Our success however is incumbent VIEWPOINT on the synergy of our efforts. We must lay International airlines agree emphasis on sustainable and responsible that VNY 2020 will make tourism practices. The campaign initiatives must a difference to promote tourism in the country. reflect that we are working towards the highest Tourism is not only a major number. But more important standards in promoting Nepal as a preferred economic sector of Nepal but also than the number is the message travel destination, and a country that values and an area with immense potentiality. we want to disseminate to every 16/18 safe guards its environment and heritage. Our country is exceptionally corner of the world, through LIFETIME Tourism is a powerful way to advance inclusive gifted in nature, culture and Visit Nepal Year, that Nepal is a EXPERIENCES economic growth. It creates jobs and provides heritage. Many of our beautiful prized destination for travellers Kali X Mountain livelihoods in the remotest corners of our locations are yet to be explored and as well as investors who want Biking Festival accessed. Even without adequate to do profitable business in the country. It promotes social mobility, develops An adventure in the critical infrastructure, connects economies infrastructure and sophistication, travel and tourism industry. deepest gorge of the world. our country is already featured This will be an occasion for • • • to global value chains, increases trade and in the top lists of various travel us to expand the tourism Karnali Quest 2020 investment, and when done carefully, protects related evaluators. What we lack industry to remote corners of The longest rafting race the environment and preserves our cultural is adequate infrastructure, facility the country through destination in the world covering a heritage. Its transformative impact can drive our and due publicity. And here lies development programmes. distance of 240 kms where country on the path of shared prosperity. the prime significance of Visit The ultimate objective is to world class kayakers will Nepal Year 2020. With enhanced see a greater share of tourism compete. publicity, we aim to host two industry in Nepal’s GDP as this million tourists in 2020 which is the sector wherein Nepal has is roughly double of this year’s unmatched advantage. August 2019 | VNY 2020 UPDATE Suraj Vaidya VNY 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY National Program Coordinator Visit Nepal 2020 is Nepal’s technology and international An implementation committee commitment to improving synergies and networks to of experts from various its competitiveness through fortify the industry. backgrounds will work with investment, innovation, strategic tourism partners infrastructure development, The National Tourism (local and international) regulatory reform, Strategic Plan 2016-2025 has and public and private new product offerings, set 11 specific plans of action stakeholders to help Nepal environment and wildlife for the overall development increase its share of global conservation, and greater of tourism: branding target; visitor markets, identify efficiencies and excellence marketing target; focused and help develop existing in service standards with programs and development and new tourism products the objective of developing target; tourism economy; of distinction, champion an the tourism industry as a improvement of business environment for successful key economic development investment target; human tourism industry, and facilitate strategy of the country. resource development; greater engagement between infrastructure development visitor and experience. The government declared target; improvement of 2020 as the Visit Nepal Year tourism quality; reforms in The VNY 2020 Secretariat with a target to achieve two institution and management; has been established in a million arrivals and daily conservation of cultural restored wing of the beautiful spend of over $75. Visit heritage; and zero carbon Kaiser Mahal in the heart of Nepal 2020 is positioned as target. the capital, and works under a Lifetime Experience in a the aegis of the Ministry As National Program Coordinator of the Visit Nepal bid to position Nepal as one The Visit Nepal Year 2020 of Tourism, Culture and Year 2020, I look forward to setting the highest of the world’s most unique will act as catalyst to achieving Civil Aviation, and in close standards of efficiency, competence and integrity to experiential and lifetime value the government agenda to collaboration with the Nepal destination. recognise and accelerate Tourism Board and the promote Nepal as a preferred travel destination. the development of the high various travel and tourism With an outstanding portfolio potential of the tourism bodies in the country. Nepal is going through tremendous transitions on of tourism assets from the industry in the years t0 come highest mountains in the even as the government The VNY 2020 Strategic the economic and political spheres. We have had world to living cultures, Gods creates ease of doing business Action Plan encompasses significant changes in the past few years and despite and Goddesses, Nepal is for investors and stakeholders a range of initiatives that the challenges, we have made progress. We also also home to a rich heritage, with incentives and subsidy include creating 20 Lifetime stand in times of unprecedented opportunities for adventure, spirituality, provisions, supportive Experiences, having a three regional diversity, warm and policies, political stability and member women’s team partnerships, trade and foreign direct investment. And welcoming people, abundance sound governance. from Nepal, India and China we can fulfill our potential only through an integrated in wildlife and natural summit Mount Everest as a approach. resources, arts, recreation VNY 2020 is prioritising message of collaboration and and entertainment, safety and investment in infrastructure, goodwill, organising of the exceptional hospitality. promoting the industry’s Nepal Tourism Excellence How the world travels has changed today. We need to sustainability and ensuring Awards and the Nepal contemporise and work towards a more experiential Opening its doors to the systematic development of Tourism Investment Summit, tourism campaign; one that interacts and engages world in the 1950’s, Nepal has new and creative business initiating Kathmandu Valley caught the imagination of the models adapting to technology with the visitor at all levels. It must also now reflect by Night, appointing figures of most discerning travellers and and how the world travels global influence as Goodwill the strengths and aspirations of all the provinces in adventure seekers. today. As the tourism sector Ambassadors, supplementing the international marketplace. expands and changes, it is and reinforcing the Brand In 2018, Nepal received vital that Nepal retains its Building and Destination 1,173,072 international tourists importance as a lifetime I view VNY 2020 as not another tourism campaign Marketing activities of excluding overland travellers. destination of this important the Nepal Tourism Board but as a country development strategy which must be The top arrivals were from global industry. with digital innovation and given due focus collaboratively from the government, India, China, Sri Lanka, USA creativity at its heart, building private and civic sectors. and UK. Average length of Under the Prime Minister, Namaste Tourist Information stay is 12.6 days and per day Rt. Hon. KP Sharma Oli’s Centres, launching a domestic expenditure amounts to $54. In leadership, Visit Nepal 2020 campaign to create ownership As individuals and organisations working in tourism, 2018, share of FDI in tourism is an opportunity to expand of VNY2020 among all you are the key players of VNY 2020. I look forward to was 11.47% at Rs 23,855.50 the country’s tourism industry citizens showcasing tourism million. The hospitality sector to the remote corners of the learning, collaborating and understanding from your as national pride, installing has shown immense promise country through destination larger than life Yeti Sculptures experience to ensure that Nepal once again becomes with several international hotel development programs, and as public art painted on a preferred travel destination of lifetime experiences. chains having already entered to use Nepal’s unmatched by celebrated national I sincerely believe that any feedback, ideas and or in the process of entering the advantages as a tourism and international artists, market.