BIRATNAGAR: Koshi Province is set to inaugurate its Tourism Year today, with an ambitious goal of attracting one million visitors by 2082 BS.
The launch event will take place at RR Garden in the Tinjure Milke Jaljale region, where the borders of Terhathum, Sankhuwasabha, and Taplejung districts meet. The campaign also aims to create 2,000 new tourism-related jobs.
Though Prime Minister KP Oli was initially expected to inaugurate the event, Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh will now preside over the ceremony.
Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki said the initiative is part of a broader vision to brand Koshi Province as a key tourism hub.
“Tourism can be a major driver of economic prosperity. We aim to make 2082 the base year for long-term tourism development,” he stated.
Karki added that tourism sites across Koshi Province will be promoted both nationally and internationally, along with efforts to brand local products.
To ensure the success of the Tourism Year, a main organizing committee with over 500 members has been formed under the leadership of the Chief Minister.
Additionally, a steering committee headed by Minister for Forests, Tourism, and Environment Sadananda Mandal has been set up, with Bhabish Shrestha and Krishna Sah appointed as co-coordinators. The official slogan is “82 Destinations of ’82.”
The province sees approximately 60,000 to 65,000 foreign tourists annually—about five percent of the total visitors. Of these, 93 percent travel to the Khumbu region.
The government also estimates over 500,000 tourists from India and other neighboring countries visit the province each year.
To boost infrastructure, four trekking routes are under development: the Mundhum, Laligurans, Falgunanda, and Chiabari trails.
These projects, funded in collaboration with the Swiss government, span 29 municipalities and carry a budget of Rs 2.35 billion.
The trails are expected to be completed by 2085 BS and are projected to significantly enhance tourism in the province.
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