BHARATPUR: The 17th Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival 2080 is set to be organized in the tourist town of Sauraha in Chitwan district from December 26-30.

The festival was halted for four years due to various reasons including the COVID-19 pandemic, it is said.

Co-organized by the Regional Hotel Association Nepal, Chitwan, the United Elephant Operation Cooperative Organisation and the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal, the venue for the festival will be Mainahachaur, according to the organizers.

The event aims to promote domestic and foreign tourism in Sauraha.

Association President Ganga Giri said the festival is going to be organized to engage and entertain an increasing number of tourists to Sauraha while expressing the hope that it would help in the promotion of Nepal’s tourism in the international level.

The festival has been slightly modified due to various reasons, it has been shared.

As its part, elephant race, elephant football and elephant polo have been removed from the festival this year following concerns raised by animal rights activists, said the organizers.

But the elephant beauty contest and boat race have been kept intact. The festival will see an interaction on the potential and challenges of Chitwan’s tourism along with a friendly sports competition.

The interaction will discuss the role of the local government, businesspersons and the tourism board in the promotion of tourism in the district, said Om Prakash Pandey, coordinator of the main organizing committee.