The Visit Pokhara Year-2007 campaign, aiming to promote tourism industry in the post-conflict period, kicked off in Pokhara in western Nepal, the National News Agency RSS reported on Tuesday.

The event, the largest tourism gala following the restoration of peace in the country earlier in 2006, will be marked by a series of programs throughout the year to enhance the image of tourism industry which was partly damaged due to the decade-long conflict.

The year-long campaign is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Tourism Board and Pokhara Tourism Council.

The main objective of the campaign is to increase foreign tourist arrival to Pokhara city, some 200 km west of Kathmandu, by 25 percent, extend the length of stay, increase per capita expenditure of international tourists to 40 U.S. dollars 40 per day from current 25 dollars and raise the flow of domestic tourists by 40 percent.

Inaugurating the festival, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said that the celebration is being held to cash in on the opportunity brought about by the ongoing peace process.

Besides Pokhara, various other tourist destination in western Nepal like Lumbini, Palpa, Syangja, Gorkha and Tanahu will also be promoted during the Visit Pokhara Year-2007.

Source: Xinhua