By Laxman Kafle

Kathmandu, Jan.2: The national tourism campaign, ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’, was inaugurated in all the seven States across the country on Wednesday.
The campaign with a theme ‘Life Time Experience’ was declared open in all States by organising various programmes.
The government officials, tourism entrepreneurs and general people took part in the programmes by welcoming the tourists at different entry points.
The VNY-2020 has been launched with a goal of bringing 2 million tourists throughout the year.
According to our State 1 Bureau, Visit Nepal Year 2020 was inaugurated by Chief Minister of State-1 Sher Dhan Rai amidst a function at Shahid Stadium of Biratnagar. On the occasion, different dances were performed reflecting cultures of different ethnic groups of the State.
On the occasion, helicopters showered flowers.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Chief Minister Rai expressed his hope that the VNY would open up the door of prosperity and economic development in the State.
State-1 is rich in natural resources and heritages, he said, adding that the State government was taking Visit Nepal Year as a foundation for economic prosperity.
“This is not an event. This is a foundation of economic prosperity,” Rai said.
On the occasion, Indian tourist entrepreneur Raj Basu urged the State government to make a plan to connect the State-1 and India through the different tourism circuits.
On the occasion, the foreign tourists entering Nepal via Kakadbhitta were welcomed.
Lawmaker of the House of Representatives Ram Karki, State Assembly Members Gopal Budhathoki, Shree Prasad Mainali, chief of Mechinagar Municipality Bimal Acharya welcomed the foreign tourists by offering them Dhaka Topi and garland of beads.
Likewise, VNY 2020 was formally inaugurated in State-2 by organising various programmes in eight districts, including capital Janakpur Dham.
Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Ram Naresh Raya inaugurated the VNY at a function organised at Janaki Temple premises.
Minister Raya said that the State-2 government was committed to making the VNY a success.
The State government welcomed tourists who arrived in Janakpur Wednesday morning.
Similarly, Chief District Officer of Dhanusha Pradeep Raj Kandel welcomed the tourists who arrived in Janakpur via the Buddha Airlines at the Janakpur Airport.
Likewise, the State-3 government launched VNY 2020 by organising special tourism related programmes in different tourist destinations of the State.
The State government and the local governments marked the VNY 2020 in different ways to attract more tourists.
A picnic of elephants was organised in Sauraha on

the occasion with a slogan ‘Elephant is friend of men’.
The elephant picnic was organised by feeding various foods to the elephants to win the heart of the tourists and attract them to Chitwan.
They feed various foods items weighting of 25 kilograms to each elephant. Altogether 85 elephants joined the picnic.
Chief of Ratnanagar Municipality Narayan Ban said that role of elephant was vital for the promotion of tourism in the country.
Bharatpur Metropolitan City welcomed the foreigners reaching Bharatpur Airport on the occasion. Likewise, Dulikhel Municipality laid foundation of the statue of Nepal Visit Year 2020.
Likewise, the national event was formally inaugurated in Gandaki State by organising a programme in Pokhara, capital of the State. Chief Minister of Gandaki State Prithvi Subba Gurung inaugurated the VNY by flying round balloon at the programme organsied at Barahi, bank of Fewa Lake.
Delivering inaugural speech, Chief Minister Gurung said that everyone should engage to bring one million tourists in Gandaki State during the VNY campaign announced by the federal government.
“The State government has made a foundation to attract 800,000 tourists. We have to bring 50 per cent of 2 million tourists visiting Nepal during the VNY,” he said.
Support from all 85 local levels of the State, private sector, and civil society and tourism entrepreneurs was a must to make the VNY a grand success, he said.
Stating that the Gandaki State is reach in natural resources, cultural aspects, he said that it was a must to promote the heritages to attract tourists.
“Pokhara is not only the capital of Gandaki State. This is a capital of tourism. The State government is giving priority to the tourism promotion,” said Bikas Lamsal, Tourism Minster of Gandaki State.
Visit Nepal Year 2020 also began in State-5 by organising various programmes in different tourist destinations.
Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel inaugurated the VNY 2020 with the slogan ‘Let’s Visit Bardiya National Park’ amidst a function.
He said that the State government would bring thousands of tourists every year in the State by promoting the tourist destinations of the State.
Stating that the State-5 has potential for tourism and agricultural industries, he said, adding that the State government was working with plans for the development of agriculture and tourism.
With the slogan’ let’s visit Karnali this time’ Visit Nepal Year 2020 was inaugurated at Bulbule in Karnali State.
Chief Minister of Karnali State Mahendra Bahadur Shahi formally inaugurated the VNY 2020. On the occasion, traditional dances, including Deuda, Hudche, Singaru, Mayur and other cultural programmes were performed.
The State government unveiled its own logo on the occasion. The government has planned to bring 100,000 foreign tourists and 400,000 domestic tourists in Karnali by the end of 2020.
Similarly, VNY 2020 was opened in Sudurpaschim State by welcoming the Indian tourists by Chief District Officer of Baitadi, Chief of Dashrath Chand Municipality and president of Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Jhulaghat border point by offering them caps and garlands.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has managed food and accommodation free of cost to those tourists who arrived here in the first day of VNY 2020.