Nepal is taking its traditional festivals to the global digital stage through a new tourism promotion initiative, with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) set to organize the country’s first-ever Kukur Tihar Reel Competition 2026. The initiative aims to showcase Nepal’s distinctive cultural heritage, festival traditions and the special bond between humans and animals through creative social media content, encouraging audiences around the world to discover Nepal’s cultural identity.
The competition comes as Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Khadka Raj Paudel ‘Ganes’ emphasizes the use of digital platforms to strengthen Nepal’s international promotion. His approach focuses on connecting the country’s tourism identity with its traditional festivals, cultural practices and local experiences, using digital storytelling to reach wider audiences. Through the reel competition, the Tourism Board aims to present Kukur Tihar not only as a religious celebration but also as a cultural expression of love, loyalty, respect and coexistence between humans and animals.
Digital Promotion Takes Centre Stage in Nepal Tourism Campaign
Minister Paudel has been advocating the promotion of Nepal’s tourism through digital media, with greater emphasis on presenting the country’s unique cultural traditions to international audiences. The Kukur Tihar Reel Competition is part of this broader approach, which seeks to encourage creative participation and make Nepal’s festivals more visible across global social media platforms.
A similar promotional initiative was undertaken during Dashain, when swings known as Linge Ping were installed at 100 locations across the country through collaboration with local governments and tourism-related organizations, following the minister’s direction. The activity aimed to highlight a traditional festive experience while connecting cultural practices with tourism promotion.
Building on such initiatives, the Nepal Tourism Board is introducing the reel competition for the first time to bring Kukur Tihar into the digital tourism campaign. By encouraging people to produce and share original videos, the initiative is expected to create engaging content that introduces Nepal’s cultural traditions to international viewers and strengthens the country’s digital presence as a cultural tourism destination.
NPR 100,000 Prize for the Best Kukur Tihar Reel
The competition invites interested participants to create original and creative short-form videos related to Kukur Tihar and publish them on their personal Instagram or Facebook accounts. The best reel will receive a cash prize of NPR 100,000, providing an incentive for content creators to develop engaging presentations of the festival and its cultural significance.
Kukur Tihar is celebrated on the second day of Tihar, Nepal’s major festival of lights. On this occasion, dogs are worshipped and honoured with tika, flower garlands and special food. In Nepali tradition, dogs are regarded as symbols of loyalty, security and companionship, and the festival recognizes their close relationship with human society.
The competition aims to bring this traditional celebration to a wider audience by encouraging participants to portray the festival’s cultural meaning and the emotional connection between people and dogs. Through creative storytelling, participants can present the rituals, festive atmosphere and values associated with Kukur Tihar in a format that is accessible to international social media users.
English Content and Social Media Guidelines for Participants
To ensure that the videos reach international audiences, all entries must be presented in English. Participants are required to include either English subtitles or an English-language voiceover in their reels. The content should be original and creatively connected to Kukur Tihar, reflecting the festival’s traditions and cultural significance.
After publishing their videos on Instagram or Facebook, participants must use the hashtags #NepalFestival and #KukurTihar. Those posting on Instagram must tag @nepaltourism, while Facebook participants must tag the Nepal Tourism Board’s official page. In addition to publishing the reel on social media, participants must submit the video through an accessible Google Drive link that allows the Board to download and view the content. The link must be emailed to [email protected]. The deadline for submitting entries is November 21, 2026.
The Board has also stated that submitted videos may be used across its promotional, publicity and digital communication platforms. Participants should therefore ensure that their entries are original creations and that the submitted files are accessible for review and potential promotional use.
Kukur Tihar to Promote Nepal’s Cultural Tourism Worldwide
The initiative seeks to present Kukur Tihar as more than a religious and cultural observance. The festival also communicates broader values of compassion, respect for animals and coexistence between humans and other living beings. By highlighting these themes, the competition aims to introduce international audiences to an aspect of Nepali culture that reflects the country’s traditions and social values. The use of reels and social media content also creates an opportunity for young creators and digital storytellers to participate directly in tourism promotion.
Rather than relying only on conventional advertising, the campaign encourages individuals to share authentic cultural experiences through short, engaging videos that can circulate across international digital platforms. Through the first-ever Kukur Tihar Reel Competition, the Nepal Tourism Board aims to connect cultural heritage with modern digital communication and strengthen the global visibility of Nepal’s festivals. The initiative is expected to add a creative dimension to the promotion of cultural tourism while encouraging wider recognition of Nepal’s distinctive traditions, including the celebration of the special bond between humans and dogs.
