The three-day Api Himal Tourism Festival 2083 has begun at the Api Himal Base Camp in Darchula, with the objective of positioning the Api Himal region as a major tourism destination in Nepal’s Far-Western Province. The festival was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Api Himal Base Camp in Api Himal Rural Municipality-1 by Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Khag Raj Bhatta. The event, organized by Api Himal Rural Municipality, will continue until Kartik 19.
Chief Minister Bhatta, along with Province Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Prakash Bahadur Rawal and Speaker Bhim Bahadur Bhandari, reached the festival venue by helicopter. Other provincial ministers, including Finance Minister Chakra Malla and Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Daman Bhandari, are also participating in the event.
Promoting Api Himal as a Major Tourism Destination
The festival has been organized to promote the natural, cultural, religious and tourism potential of the Api Himal region at the national and international levels. Api Himal Rural Municipality Chair Bhakti Singh Thekare Bohara said the event aims to introduce the region’s distinctive tourism attractions to a wider audience while creating economic opportunities for local communities. He said the festival is being organized as more than a conventional entertainment and cultural event, with a broader objective of establishing Api Himal as one of the leading tourism destinations in Sudurpaschim Province.
“The Api Himal, Kalidhunga, Richharde and Bayeli Lake, Dharmi Cave, Markandeya Cave, the source of the Chameliya River and the vast alpine pastures are among the major tourism attractions of the area,” Bohara said. Despite its rich natural and cultural resources, the region has not yet achieved its full tourism potential due to inadequate promotion and infrastructure, he said.
Tourism Development Linked to Local Employment
According to the rural municipality, tourism development is expected to strengthen the local economy and create employment opportunities for young people within the community. The festival also aims to support the marketing and commercialization of local agricultural products, handicrafts and traditional products. Local authorities expect increased tourist arrivals to benefit homestays, hotels, local businesses and small-scale enterprises, while creating additional sources of income for residents.
Chief Minister Highlights Tourism Potential
Inaugurating the festival, Chief Minister Bhatta described Api Himal as an area with significant tourism potential and said tourism could become an important foundation for the economic prosperity of Sudurpaschim Province. He said the provincial government has been prioritizing tourism promotion and is working on policies aimed at utilizing the province’s tourism potential to generate employment opportunities. Bhatta emphasized that the tourism festival should not remain limited to entertainment and cultural programmes but should develop into a sustained campaign to promote the identity of Api Himal nationally and internationally.
Three-Day Festival Features Culture, Sports and Climate Dialogue
The festival features a range of cultural, literary, sporting and environmental activities throughout its three-day programme. The first day includes the official inauguration, local cultural processions, literary programmes and performances by national and local artists. The second day will feature friendly cricket and volleyball competitions, providing an opportunity for community participation alongside tourism promotion. The third and final day will include a climate dialogue, yoga and meditation camp, followed by the formal closing ceremony.
Climate Change Takes Centre Stage
A climate dialogue has also been included in the festival programme to draw attention to the impact of climate change on the Himalayan environment, tourism and local livelihoods. The dialogue is expected to bring stakeholders together to discuss the changing Himalayan environment and possible adaptation measures to protect the region’s tourism potential and the livelihoods of communities dependent on local natural resources.
Target Set to Attract 10,000 Tourists
Api Himal Rural Municipality has set a target of attracting at least 10,000 domestic and international tourists during the current fiscal year. The target represents an effort to nearly double annual tourist arrivals, as the area has previously received more than 5,000 visitors annually. The local government expects the festival to provide greater exposure to the region and help increase visitor numbers beyond the event period.
Focus on Long-Term Tourism Promotion
The rural municipality aims to use the festival as a platform not only to increase tourist arrivals but also to preserve and promote local art, language, culture and literature. It also expects the event to contribute to the expansion of markets for local products and encourage the development of tourism-related businesses. However, achieving the 10,000-tourist target will require sustained promotion and investment beyond the three-day event.
Improved infrastructure, accommodation, transportation, information services and other visitor facilities will be essential to establish Api Himal as a year-round tourism destination. The festival is therefore being positioned as an initial step toward unlocking the wider tourism potential of Api Himal and linking tourism development with local economic growth, employment and sustainable development.
