Bandipur Rural Municipality launches 'Bandipur Tour Year 2025'

KATHMANDU: Bandipur Rural Municipality has launched 'Bandipur Tour Year 2025' with the objective of promoting tourism in the renowned destination Bandipur, often referred to as 'Pahadaki Rani' (Queen of the Hills).

To identify new tourist destinations in Bandipur, create employment opportunities, and stimulate economic activities through tourism, the rural municipality has declared 2025 as the Visit Year.

To ensure the success of the Tour Year, a 21-member Visit Year Secretariat has been formed under the coordination of tourism entrepreneur Baish Gurung, according to rural municipality chair Surendra Bahadur Thapa. The secretariat includes representatives from the hotel association, Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN), Tourism Development Committee, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and Homestay Federation Nepal (HOFEN), among others.

"The Tour Year has been organised with the vision of achieving a prosperous and cultured Bandipur through responsible tourism activities by conserving and developing natural and cultural heritage. The aim is to increase the number of tourist arrivals to 200,000 annually," Thapa stated.

Secretariat Coordinator Baish Gurung outlined a plan to double the number of tourists by promoting Bandipur’s tourism both domestically and internationally through the Visit Year programme. "We aim to attract 100,000 domestic and 100,000 foreign tourists to Bandipur annually," he said. "Our goal is to bring 800,000 tourists to Bandipur annually within the next three years, using the Visit Year as the base year."

Gurung said that the average stay of tourists during the Tour Year is expected to be three days. The average daily expenditure of foreign tourists is projected to rise to $75, while domestic tourists' daily spending is expected to increase to Rs 3,000. Presently, Bandipur boasts 75 hotels and four homestays, with the entire rural municipality offering 120 hotels and 12 homestays. The rural municipality's daily occupancy capacity is 1,700 people.

For the Tour Year, infrastructure will be developed, and new destinations identified, developed, and promoted. Gurung highlighted that the Visit Year will create more employment and self-employment opportunities, increase investment in hotels and restaurants, and position Bandipur as a major tourist destination in Nepal. "Through the Visit Year, homestay circuits with tourism facilities will be promoted, and at least five more destinations will be identified, developed, and promoted alongside existing tourism centres and products," Gurung added.

Seasonal packages will be prepared, including the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of cultural, religious, and rural tourism circuits. The rural municipality aims to create packages catering to the age and interests of tourists, increasing public participation for 'earn in the village, enjoy in the village', and promoting environmental protection.

The rural municipality estimates that Rs 44.35 million will be spent to ensure the success of the Tour Year. The estimated expenses include contributions expected from federal, provincial, and local governments, as well as various national and international government and non-government organisations. The year also incorporates the Government of Nepal's regular programmes under the Bandipur Rural Municipality.

READ ALSO:

• Discounts for Prabhu Bank customers, employees at hotels, restaurants in Bandipur
• Street food festival to be held in Bandipur in New Year
• Over 1m  foreign tourists visit Nepal in 11 months of 2024
• Nepal witnesses surge in foreign tourists' visit in 2024
• 30,732 foreign tourists visit Annapurna region in Asoj
• Indonesia holds sales mission programme in Kathmandu, promotes tourism for Nepali tourists