Before answering why you should visit Nepal in 2020, let’s understand why Nepal is celebrating Visit Nepal Year 2020. Visit Nepal 2020 is launched after the previous successes of Visit Nepal Year 1998 and Nepal Tourism year 2011 in the hope of attracting 2 million tourists this year. The government of Nepal aims to re-brand the existing touristic appeal which was previously directed mostly towards mountaineers and backpackers and broaden the domains catering to all- adventure seekers, soul searchers, pilgrims and luxury travelers. The Ministry of Tourism has carried out plans for Visit Nepal 2020 which has been thought and designed extensively, coinciding events throughout the year catering to all touristic domains and paving the path for upcoming Visit Years.
Why should you visit Nepal in the year 2020?
Nepal ranks fifth among Top 10 countries to visit and number one in Best Valued Destination in the World. With that being said, this year Nepal aims to promote and develop 5 major areas- People and Culture, Nature and Wildlife, Heritages & Leisure, Religion & Pilgrimage and lastly Outdoors & Adventure. Visitors from all around the world can experience events catered to these domains. From visiting ancient cities, temples and holy lands included in the World Heritage Sites to adventure sports in the most scenic and breathtaking landscapes nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the choices are endless. With a variety of hotels, both luxury and budget-friendly, tailored to meet specific requirements of tourists, traveling has never been so easier. Option for Home-stays and local rest-stops caters to those set of travelers seeking the most authentic and organic way of living and traveling native to Nepalese people.
The 2020 Hype:
The Nepalese government has given the topmost priority to Visit Nepal 2020 among its many projects, acknowledging and understanding its fellow travelers to be met with their requirement and their well-being in mind. The government sees transportation infrastructure to be the primary aspect and has improved significantly to ensure easy traffic flow. The construction of two new international airports has started and added more airport hours to the existing Tribhuvan International Airport to cope up with congestion. Also, important destinations are linked with roadways for easy travels. The government has also encouraged all tour companies and hotels to provide travelers with necessary discounts for the Visit Year 2020. Therefore, visitors can expect an array of tours and trekking packages at lower and affordable prices. With the rise of hotel industries in Nepal, visitors can choose to spend their holidays in Ultra-luxury or affordable accommodations, as per the needs. Many new international hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, and Double Tree are expected to start their services following this year. For backpackers and trekkers, bearing the safety in mind, the Ministry of Tourism has checked every route and has declared 35 of the main hiking routes to be perfectly safe for travel. The government has also increased the number of security personnel to ensure the safety of the visitors for the year 2020. The government and the people of Nepal are working rigorously to make Visit Nepal Year 2020 a success and expect to see a doubled increment in the existing tourist flow of 1 million visitors per year.
The Ministry of Tourism along with travel enthusiast have come up with various exotic and unprecedented events spread throughout the year so that every visitor has a unique experience.
Events for Visit Nepal 2020
With the inauguration of Visit Nepal Year 2020 in the earlier January, many events are in a line-up for the coming months. On 26th of January, Kasa, a luxury Nepali fashion brand organized an event - The Mt.Everest Fashion Runway, where 5 models from Nepal put on a show for 45 minuted at 5,644 meters setting a new Guinness Book of World Record. The main theme of the show was to join hands against climate change by promoting sustainable fashion. The month of February plans to see 4 new events. Starting the month with 2nd Annual Ice climbing Festival from February 1st to 10th, where both pro and novice climbers come together for big fun climbing frozen waterfalls in the shadows of the Mount Annapurna. Secondly, the event- Nepal India China Expo (NICE), which is the first-ever tri-national tourism expo envisioned by PATA Nepal Chapter, conjoining all 3 nations by tourism and hospitality. The third event on the occasion of Valentine’s day, SKATE NEPAL in Gokyo, where a friendly match between various countries like Canada, India, Russia, and the US among other nations at the third lake of Gokyo, which is the highest freshwater lake system in the world shall be organized. Lastly for the month of February, from 14th to 16th, Himalayan Outdoor Festival, a three-day celebration of human-powered adventure sports, outdoor experiences with live music is being organized.
With events spread across the entire year, the month of April has 3 events set out to happen. Starting the month with the International Tattoo Convention from the 3rd of April to the 5th, various artists from Nepal and abroad settle in for 3 days of tattoo-related events. Another event- Mustang Trail Race is set out to happen from the 4th of April to 16th of April. It is an 8-stage, 170km long, high altitude trail race through the culturally Tibetan, a trans-Himalayan region of Nepal. The last for the month of April, from 8th to 12th April, Pokhara Enduro is waiting to happen, where 100 mountain bikers from across the world will race in a 2-day event in the beautiful city of Pokhara. For the month of May, 2 events- Everest Marathon and Otaku Jatra 2020- are waiting to happen. Everest Marathon is a worldwide high altitude sporting event held along the Mount Everest Base Camp Trail. And Otaku Jatra welcomes Geeks and Otakus from all over the world, being a part of Nepal’s largest Comic-Con event. For the month of June, events like Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM), an international trade and tourism trade show with business and networking in mind is set out to happen. Whereas, Sustainable Summit Conference is to be held in Kathmandu in the month of June from 1st to 5th of the month.
For the months to follow, events are spread evenly. Nepal will host the 8thWorld Trails Conference in the month of September. The month of November will witness The Great Karnali Quest where international rafters will participate in the longest raft race in the world. Whereas in the month of December, 3 events like Kali X, Photo Kathmandu and Kathmandu Triennale is set out to happen. Kali X invites adventure seekers to participate in the world-class trail in the Deepest Gorge in the World. Whereas, Photo Kathmandu is a festival celebrating photographers, where photographers from all over the world get to showcase there treasured captures for the public to enjoy. And ending the events for the Year 2020, Kathmandu Triennale will showcase Nepali art in the global art scene as well as bring the global art scene to Nepal.
So this year, visit Nepal to get the most unprecedented and unique experiences of your lifetime. With the most organic and authentic Nepalese lifestyles on display, leave your world behind and dive into the most simplistic and peaceful way of living right on the foothills of the Himalayas.
