KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav is going to inaugurate Visit Lumbini Year 2012 and launch Tourism Vision 2020, apart from announcing the formal closure of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 national campaign in Lumbini on Saturday.

After the successful completion of Nepal Tourism Year 2011, the country is observing yet another national campaign Visit Lumbini Year 2012, also to unite the world to work towards creating a peaceful society through Buddha’s message of peace and to make the birthplace of Buddha a centre of global attraction.

“Visit Lumbini Year 2012 is a key 

linkage between Nepal Tourism Year 2011 and Tourism Vision 2020 as it serves to sustain the achievement of the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 and improve livelihoods of people through promotion of tourism,” according to Nepal Tourism Board.

“Nepal Tourism Year 2011 was a synthesis of past experiences of government and future aspiration of the private sector,” it said, adding that Visit Lumbini Year 2012 also marks the beginning of a new mission to an overall development of the tourism industry.

The successful completion of national campaign Nepal Tourism Year 2011 has given clearly two messages to the world; Nepal is a peaceful and stable country after a decade long political uncertainty and tourism has been unanimously regarded as a vehicle of economic transformation.

Since tourism has emerged as a key instrument for economic growth, development and job creation over the past fifty years in the country, the Tourism Vision 2020 has set out its goal to increase annual international tourist arrivals to Nepal to two million by 2020, augment economic opportunities and increase employment in tourism sector to one million.

Tourism Vision 2020 also serves as an easy-reference guide to all the major stakeholders of tourism sector.