KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, has said that the government would provide full security to tourists visiting Nepal.

At a program organized by National Forum of Photo Journalists to release ‘Nepal Darshan-2020’ a photo book and prize distribution here on Monday, Minister Bhattarai said that the government would rescue tourists at any time if they face any problem.

“Tourists did not face any insecurity even during the armed conflict period. This shows that Nepal is safe for tourists. The tourists should not bear any doubt about security during Visit Nepal Year 2020,” he said.

The Tourism Minister further said that some 200 tourists, gone for Annapurna trekking, have been shifted to safer places. Saying some of the people have been making efforts to make VNY unsuccessful, he claimed that construction activities of physical infrastructures have been moving ahead in an expedite manner.

Minister Bhattarai expressed the view that the government is in preparation to celebrate a decade-long VNY celebrating VNY-2020 as the foundation year, adding VNY could not fulfill all goals. “The pictures included in the book has recognized Nepal and the book will help tourists to know Nepal”, he added.

Stressing the need of taking the book at Nepali diplomatic mission in abroad, not only in Nepal, the Tourism Minister opined that the book would also play role to make VNY a success.

Similarly, Member-Secretary of the Visit Nepal Year-2020 Secretariat, Bachchu Narayan Shrestha, said that the book would also play supportive role for the publicity of VNY.

Forum Chair Rajendra Chitrakar shared information that the photo book was published with an objective of publicizing and promoting VNY, declared by the government.

On the occasion, Minister Bhattarai presented prize to the best photo journalists of the cultural and tourism photo competition. Manoj Poudel of Kapilvastu, affiliated with Kantipur Daily secured the first position in the competition and received Rs 25,000.

Similarly, Kabiraj Karki of Mugu and Sunil Sharma secured second and third positions in the championship and got Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively.

Likewise, Bhawani Shilakar from State-1, Sushil Shrestha from State-2, Aryan Dhimal from Bagmati state, radhika Kandel from Gandaki state, Amarraj Pun from State-5, Hikmat Bahadur Nepali from Karnali state and Binod Singh Bista from Sudur Paschim state received state-level best photo award.

The award carries a purse of Rs 10,000. Some 190 photos captured by Forum members at different times have been included in the book, said Forum General Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Onta.