With the slogan "Together for Tourism", the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011 has been formally unveiled by the government on Friday, 26 March 2010.
Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the NTY 2011 by lighting a lamp brought from Lumbini, the birth-place of Gautam Buddha, in a special ceremony organized at the Nepal Army pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the government expects active help and support from everyone to make this national campaign a success.

PM Nepal also informed about the government plans to draw 1 million tourists to Nepal during the period.

According to data available, a little over 5,00,000 tourists visit Nepal each year. Nepal suddenly saw an increase in tourists visiting the country following the cessation of conflict in the country.

It is believed that NTY 2011 will help in boosting the national economy by bringing in more tourists and also promote Nepal in the international market.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was a cultural programme displaying the tradition and cultural mores of various ethnic communities in the country.

Similarly, there was encouraging participation of representatives from political parties, tourism entrepreneurs, businessman, private sector, and people from various other sectors.

They had also participated in rallies taken out from different places in the capital which had later converged at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel.

Similar programmes were also organised in Biratnagar, Janakpur, Birgunj, Chitwan, Pokhara, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj today.

Various political parties, including the main opposition Unified CPN (Maoist), have already pledged to avoid strikes and bandhs in 2011 for the success of the NTY