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The Nepal International Tourism fair is going to be held with the aim of publicizing the tourist destinations of Nepal at the international level.

The fair is going to be organized on May 31 to June 1 to promote the tourism sector of Nepal globally, said Bishnu Pandey of Summit Event and Market Limited, the organizer of the fair.

To make the fair a success, the organizers held a discussion with the presidents and representatives of various organizations related to tourism in the capital on Sunday. On the occasion, Vice President of Nepal Tourism Board, Chandra Prasad Rijal, expressed his belief that the fair will help promote Nepal's tourism sector at the international level.

The fair will have booths representing all the seven provinces of Nepal as well as booths representing foreign countries. There will be more than 125 booths in the fair to be held at Bhrikutimandap exhibition center, according to the organizers. Stalls from neighboring India and China as well as from the Maldives, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Thailand will be included in the fair.

More than 200 foreign tourism companies from different countries will participate in the fair.

World Leprosy Day is being celebrated today with a variety of programs across the country.

The World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of January. The theme for World Leprosy Day 2024 is “Beat Leprosy”, which encapsulates the dual objectives of the day: to eradicate the stigma associated with leprosy and to promote the dignity of people affected by the disease, says the World Health Organisation.

Leprosy is a highly contagious disease caused by a microbe called Mycobacterium leprae. If diagnosed and treated on time it can be treated and also stopped from spreading, says Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division Department of Health Services, Dr Rudra Prasad Marasini.

A total of 2,522 new leprosy patients were found in the country in the fiscal year 2079/80, with the majority of them in Madhes province. Altogether, 944 patients were found in the province, while 565 were detected in Lumbini, 471 in Koshi, 230 in Sudurpaschim, 120 in Bagmati, 119 in Gandaki and 73 in Karnali.

Head of the leprosy control and disability management unit of the department, Dr Prashanna Napit, said that the government has implemented the 'National Leprosy Strategy 2078-2082' to create a leprosy-free Nepal.

South Asian Film Festival is going to be held in Sauraha. The festival to be held from February 1 in Ratnanagar Municipality-7 is being organized by Caravan Nepal.

President of Caravan Nepal and film director Bimal Paudel said the film festival is being organized with the aim of developing Nepali films and promoting tourism in Chitwan.

The festival will comprise more than 100 stalls of movies, tourism and local traditional delicacies and is expected to draw 50,000 spectators, with a turnover of Rs. 15 million.

During the five-day festival, discussion will be held on initiatives to be taken by the state and private sector for the development of film and tourism, while attention of the government will be drawn for policy reforms.

Ratnanagar Municipality is providing its support to the festival that will feature films, documentaries and short films, amidst the presence of filmmakers from eight countries in the region. It is also expected to promote cultural exchange and celebrate the richness of South Asian storytelling.

Awards will also be presented to the best film, best director and best screenplay categories. Gokarna Giri, the co-coordinator of the main festival organizing committee said that the regional film festival in Sauraha is expected to revive the tourism in Sauraha and Chitwan.

Prior to this, the Caravan Nepal had organized the Golden Film Festival in Birgunj and a festival related to Buddha's biography and philosophy in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

The Kathmandu Municipal Corporation is providing free vehicle parking services in the Dharahara premises in Sundhara of Kathmandu from today.

Free parking service will be available from today on the first floor of the parking building built next to the Dharahara tower, according to the KMC. It may be noted that the KMC has declared the blacktopped roads in New Road as the parking prohibited zone.

Head of KMC Police, Senior Superintendent Rajunath Pandey, said along with the free parking service in Kathmandu Tower (former bus park), parking will also be provided free at Dharahara premises.

An area of 50,000 square feet will be available for free parking at the Dharaha premises, which can be reached from the road leading to Khichapokhari from Kathmandu Mall.