Hockey team felicitated for playing hockey at higher altitude

Kathmandu: Nepal Visit Year secretariat felicitated British hockey team for playing hockey at a higher altitude and creating a world record.

The national coordinator for the ‘Visit Year 2020’ campaign, Suraj Vaidya gave away the Nepali cap and logo of the visit year to the hockey team members while felicitating them at a program held in Kathmandu.

31 British professional hockey players out of 34 on a tour in Mustang and Manang on 16 July 2019 played the hockey for one hour at Throng La pass, located at a height of 5020 meters. Throng La pass lies on the border of Manang and Mustang.

While speaking to the British hockey team, Vaidya said that sports tourism will be given special preference, while campaigning for the upcoming visit year.

He also told that preparations were being made to host a hockey competition very soon at the Gokyo hill of Solukhumbu.

Vaidya further said that the hockey players were being felicitated to attract the tourists by giving a message that there are ample possibilities of sports tourism, religious tourism, and expeditions in Nepal.

The game of hockey is popular in Europe and India, while it is being played in Nepal for the last four years only.

The players also indicated that there are more possibilities of playing hockey in the higher altitudes of Solukhumbu, Jumla, and Manang.

Tourism entrepreneurs hope that the number of tourists will be increased by attracting the tourists and players who are interested to see hockey, marathon, and archery at the sports training centers under constructions in the Himalayan regions.

Vaidya also added that ‘Nepal visit year 2020’ was being projected and explored by giving a new introduction and its extended products.