New Year's Eve in Kathmandu

New year at Hotel Annapurna
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The Everest Hotel has announced a package inclusive of gala dinner, free drinks, live band and performance by modern dance troupe at Rs 7,000 for single and Rs 12,999 for couple. Amir K Pradhananga, director of sales and marketing, at the hotel said, “Every year we are trying to give some different taste; this year we will have live performance by Nima Rumba.”

Likewise, Dwarika´s Hotel is offering five-course dinner at Toran Restaurant. The price of the dinner along with dance and live music is Rs 6,000 for single and Rs 10,000 for couple.

Similarly, Radisson Hotel Kathmandu is organizing three different events to celebrate New Year´s Eve. According to Karuna Manandhar, assistant manager- PR and Publicity, Olive Garden Restaurant will have five-course vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals with a glass of wine at Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000, respectively, excluding applicable taxes. “The Fun Cafe is hosting international buffet at Rs 2,700 per person inclusive of one alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink. Apart from that, we will also have DJ session, featuring DJ Anshu at the Corner Bar,” she added.

Hotel Yak and Yeti is giving continuity to its event ´Sinners in Heaven´ this year as well. The hotel has been organizing the event for the past 10 years. According to officials of the hotel, the event will feature DJ Ashim and MC Kabir from New Delhi.

The package includes four drinks and buffet dinner at Rs 2,200 per person. The hotel has also announced a 5-course candle lit dinner at the Chimney Restaurant at Rs 4,000 for single and Rs 7,000 for couple.
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International Elephant race kicks off in Nepal

9th International Elephant race competition kicked  off on Wednesday (KATHMANDU, Dec. 26)  the amidst a grand opening in Sauraha Chitwan, Nepal’s touristic hub.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha inaugurated the race, popularly known as Chitwan Elephant Festival, by lighting a lamp.
Elephant race, young elephant football, elephant beauty contest, bull-cart race, horse-cart race and other cultural shows will be organized in the three-day festival.
Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha said that the festival has helped to boost tourism in Nepal. Twenty-four elephants will take part in the race, 8 elephants in the football match, and 5 elephants in the beauty contest, organizers said.

“Due to lack of fund we haven’t been able to advertise internationally,” Gyanendra Bista, festival co-ordinator, told Xinhua. “The response has been positive.”
During the festival, more tourists will visit the Chitwan national park, said Amir Maharjan, Assistant Conservation Officer of the park.
Kashiraj Bhandari, director at Nepal Tourism Board, told Xinhua that the festival has been successful in creating positive awareness about tourism and within the communities.
Deepak Adhikari, 42, a local, said that the festival has helped to boost tourism and also helped Chitwan to be highlighted in the international media.

Volcano in Nepal is just rumor!!

Army says explosion, smoke in Langtang area not a volcano

Nepal Army has said that the smoke coming out of a mountain in the scenic Langtang area in Rasuwa district reportedly after an explosion is not a volcano as reported by a section of the Kathmandu media.

NA spokesperson Suresh Sharma said that a team of NA soldiers sent to Langtang area on a helicopter has returned and confirmed that the smoke emitting out of a mountainous part of the Langtang National Park is not a volcano but a ‘minor wildfire’ that will soon be contained.

However, on December 14, Nepali astrologers had said that there is a possibility of volcano within a week while dismissing talks about the world ending on December 21 (that originated from the western countries) as ‘mere rumours’.

Earlier, as the news of a 'volcanic eruption' spread, Langtang area, located north of Kathmandu, is not a volcano prone area, a senior geologist had said.

Senior Geologist Dharma Raj Khadka had told Nepalnews that that it was highly unlikely that a volcanic eruption had taken place in the area.

"There might be other reasons behind the 'explosion'," he had said.

Nepal unveils plans to double tourist arrivals until 2016

Luc Citrinot - 13 December 2012, 07:46

Nepal Tourism Ministry expects to create 300,000 direct jobs in tourism annually, especially as the Himalayan Republic is targeting 1.5 million international arrivals by 2016.

KATHMANDU- Nepal government has prepared a three-year tourism plan designed to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and boost private sector investment.

The comprehensive strategy will be implemented from fiscal 2013-14 to 2015-16. Under the grand plan, the Tourism Ministry expects to create 300,000 direct jobs in tourism annually.

According to the ministry, 120,000 jobs were created in the last fiscal year, and 150,000 jobs are expected to be created in the current fiscal year.

Ministry officials said that a concept draft of the plan has been finalised, and that it would be sent to the National Planning Commission for further discussion. By attracting private sector investment for infrastructure development under public private partnership, the ministry aims to double annual tourist arrivals to 1.5 million from 736,215 in 2011.

A work plan will be prepared in coordination with the private sector to carry out special promotional campaigns to attract more visitors from India and China. Likewise, promotional activities will be held in Brazil, Russia, India and China, also known as “the BRIC economies”.

The average length of stay of visitors has been planned to be increased to 14 days from 13.12 days in 2011. The average length of stay of tourists in Nepal increased to a seven-year high of 13.12 days in 2011. Travel trade analysts have attributed this growth to a decline in strikes and increased tourist arrivals for trekking and mountaineering.

According to the ministry’s three-year plan and vision, it will explore new destinations to encourage travellers to prolong their stay. “As security and safety is the number one requisite to prolong travellers’ stay, the government will create a conducive environment to ensure their wellbeing,” said a ministry official.

The ministry said that the necessary policy will be formulated to regulate and encourage adventure sports, natural healing and eco-tourism, among other products. Similarly, the per day expenditure of tourists has been envisaged to increase to US$ 65. Last year, according to the ministry’s statistics, a foreign visitor spent an average of US$ 39.90 per day.

Although, arrivals reached an all-time high in 2011, average spending by tourists dropped to US$ 39.90 last year against US$ 43.20 in 2010. The ministry’s three-year concept paper has planned raising the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to 4 percent from 1.8 percent in 2011.

Under aviation development, the ministry plans to increase the number of international airlines serving Nepal to 40. Presently, 29 international airlines are operating 284 scheduled flights weekly between Kathmandu and 22 cities in Asia and Europe.