Kathmandu, July 4 -- Nepal announced Ghumphir Barsha (Travel Year) in 2016, a year after the devastating earthquake, to revive the country's struggling tourism industry by encouraging domestic travel as foreign tourist arrivals plunged.

The campaign, the first of its kind in Nepal, sparked a surge in domestic travel.

Beyond traditional leisure destinations such as Pokhara and Chitwan, younger Nepalis began travelling in large numbers. Motorcycle trips from Beni to Jomsom increased sharply after the road connection was completed. Large numbers of domestic tourists also flocked to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Rara Lake, Mustang and several destinations around the Kathmandu Valley.

A decade later, domestic tourism has become ...