Chitwan. The 19th edition of the Elephant and Tourism Festival has officially begun today in Sauraha, one of Chitwan’s प्रमुख tourist destinations. The festival, which is being held at the grounds of the Baghmara Buffer Zone Community Forest in Sauraha, will continue until Poush 13.
The festival was inaugurated on Friday by Bagmati Province Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya. The opening ceremony witnessed the participation of stakeholders from the tourism, forest and environment sectors, along with local entrepreneurs, tourism professionals, media representatives, and the general public.
According to the organizers, the primary objective of the Elephant and Tourism Festival is to boost both domestic and international tourist arrivals in Sauraha. With current hotel occupancy rates hovering around 40 percent, organizers are optimistic that the festival will help increase occupancy by an additional 20 to 25 percent during the event period. To attract visitors, hotels and restaurants in Sauraha are also offering special discounts on accommodation and food services throughout the festival.
On the occasion, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) highlighted that elephants are not merely animals, but an integral part of Nepal’s culture, history, and national identity. He noted that the common perception of Nepal solely as a nature-rich country is incomplete, emphasizing that elephants are deeply connected to the country’s cultural heritage. NTB CEO Joshi stated that the Elephant Festival serves as a powerful medium to link tourism with conservation efforts and affirmed that the Board will play a leading role with a long-term roadmap for elephant conservation and population growth. He also reiterated NTB’s commitment to promoting regenerative tourism in collaboration with all tourism stakeholders.
A variety of cultural, sports, and entertainment activities are being organized throughout the festival. On the first day, a procession was held starting from the entrance gate of Chitwan National Park, followed by an elephant penalty shootout competition and cultural performances. On the second day, the program includes live elephant beauty contests accompanied by traditional music, an elephant health camp, interaction programs, boat races, additional sports competitions, and cultural shows featuring folk songs and dances.
According to the organizers, the final day of the festival will feature elephant worship, an elephant picnic, announcement of competition results, distribution of prizes and certificates, and a formal closing ceremony, followed by evening cultural performances.
Organizers believe that the Elephant and Tourism Festival will not only contribute to the promotion of tourism in Sauraha but also help convey important messages on local culture, biodiversity, and elephant conservation at both national and international levels.
