Preparations in full swing to attract 2 m tourists by 2020: Minister Bhattarai

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai on Saturday said preparations were in full swing to implement the government’s campaign to bring in 2 million tourists by 2020 when Nepal is celebrating ‘Visit Nepal Year’. So far approximately 1.3 million tourists have visited Nepal, he said while inaugurating a home-stay facility and the event of handing new houses built for a marginalised Musahar community at the municipality-15 by the Tarai Bhuparidhi Project and the municipality under the Musahar safe housing programme.
Minister Bhattarai stressed the need for upgrading home-stay facility and the use of local products. The minister expressed the hope that operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport and expansion of Bharatpur Airport would help attract foreign tourists. The total 36 houses have been built for the community under the housing programme.