Rupandehi : The State 5 government is all prepared to make a grand opening of the Visit Nepal Year 2020, making it a memorable one.    
The Tourism Promotion Committee formed from the government level in view of the Visit Year is learnt to have made preparations for the inauguration with the theme of "Let’s Visit Bardiya" as it aims to establish Bardiya as the international touristic destination. Bardiya remains as the major touristic site in the state.    
The special inaugural ceremony is taking place at Thakurdwara of Bardiya in the presence of Chief Minister Shankar Pokhrel, according to Committee joint coordinator Madhav Nepal.    
Thakurdwara has been beautifully decorated in view of the ceremony. A special programe was organised in Banke on the eve of the English New Year 2020.    
Tourists to arrive Nepal from India will be given special hospitality and the Banke-based hotels are geared up for the same.    
A jungle safari will formally begin at Gavar Valley area in Banke on the day of inauguration, according to joint coordinator Nepal.    
Earlier, the state government had formed the Tourism Promotion Committee headed by minister for industry, tourism, forest and environment Leela Giri.    
State government ministers, lawmakers, secretaries, National Planning Commission vice chair, each five members in the Promotion Committee from 12 districts in the state, local government mayors/chair sand deputy mayors and deputy chairs are scheduled to be present in the inaugural ceremony.    
 Visitors can enjoy cultural processions, dances and singing events during the ceremony.    
Traditional dances such as Rolpa's Magar Dance, Dang and Bardiya's Tharu Dance and Awadhi Dance and the Panchebaja (traditional Nepali folk music) will be performed for the entertainment of participants.    
Rupandehi-based tourism entrepreneurs have organised street food festivals in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Bhairahawa and Butwal.    
The festivals aims to promote the local tourism, it is said. Such events occupy major cities in the districts.    
Several service-providing organisation have announced concession on the services in view of the Visit Year 2020. The Hotel Association declares that it is ensuring 15 to 30 percent discount on the services through the year in 2020.    
President of Lumbini Hotel Association, Mithun Man Shrestha said a programme has been set for inaugurating the welcome programme and food festival amidst a special ceremony at the birthplace of Buddha. This programme will be organized with the support of the State-5 government which is marking the Lumbini Visit Year. He said the food festival has been related to the Visit Year to make both the Visit Nepal Year and the Lumbini Visit Year successful.    
Similarly, street food festival has been planned in Butwal and Bhairahawa for the inauguration of the Visit Nepal Year and on the occasion of the Lumbini Viist Year. President of Siddhartha Hotel Association, Chandra Prakash Khanal said the street food festival would be organized also in Bhairahawa, the main transit from where the foreign tourists enter Nepal through surface transport.    
The hotels in Bhairahawa and Lumbini are planning to organize a variety of cultural programmes, including musical ones, for welcoming the visitors during the Visit Year. "It is our shared responsibility to make the Visit Nepal Year successful. So, we have planned t orgnize a mega cultural programme on the occasion of its inauguration," said Bishnu Gyawali, Managing Director of Hotel Pauwa. According to him, the event has been planned to provide service with Nepali hospitality to the internal and external tourists.    
The private sector has been inspired by the Visit Year as they hope that big investment will be generated for the expansion of the infrastructure of the tourism sector. The government aims to welcome 2 million tourists in the country during the Visit Year. It has expedited the promotional activities to that end. Special attention has been given to development of tourism infrastructure and service diversification keeping in mind the Visit Year 2020.