To help celebrate the 29th World Tourism Day 2008, on the 25th of September, Nepal Environment & Tourism Initiative Foundation (NETIF) in conjunction with Suomen Latu (Finnish INGO) organized a cleanup campaign in the Shivapuri National Park which acted to clean up the area from Mulkharka Village down to the Sundarijal Bus Park.

People from all walks of life enthusiastically joined in the campaign including officials from Shivapuri National Park, Members of various local clubs, Members of the local Women’s Groups, Tour Operators from Kathmandu, Hotel Association of Nepal Members, Students from Kathmandu University, Executive Board Members of NETIF, Discover Nepal NGO/STN Members, Dream Nepal Travels & Tours staff, Kantipur Television, Kantipur Saprahik, AV News T.V, Sagarmatha T.V and KEEPS FM 98.3.

The aim of the campaign was cleaning up the area and making the villagers who live in the area aware of the impact that they have on the environment and how important it is for us to maintain a pristine environment that will not only attract tourists and tourism related income for them, but it will also benefit all residence of Kathmandu by maintaining a clean and safe water supply and a beautiful place for them to go to.
Another motive of the cleanup was to promote the newly established “Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail” which takes trekkers from Sundarijal to Chisapani, Nagarkot, Dhulikhel and beyond. It is hoped that the establishment and conservation of the areas around the trekking route will attract tourists to the area thus generating valuable income for villagers along the route who will be assisted in establishing tourism related business. NETIF has ongoing plans to further develop this trekking route by integrating the local people into tourism related businesses and at the same time educating them about the importance of maintaining a pristine environment. The participation of villagers living in and around Shivapuri National Park and the trekking trail is essential to the success of NETIF’s projects.

NETIF, the organization behind the cleanup campaign was established in 2006 by a group of tourism businessmen and environmentalists from Kathmandu and Dhulikhel. The organization was registered as an NGO (non-profit, non-political, non-government organization) in 2008 and since its establishment, NETIF, has been working in different social, environmental and tourism fields in Dhulikhel and the surrounding areas. NETIF works in cooperation with local and international agencies and specialists by combining tourism and environment as its main objectives.


Objectives of the organization NETIF are as follows:

 - To Promote Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Practices.
 - Resources Mobilization and Product Development.
 - To Act for better Environment and Tourism upliftments.
 - To conduct various types of income generating and self-employment oriented programme in the field of tourism and environment.
 - To campaign against environment degradation.
 - To investigate alternative majors to minimize negative impact of tourism on the environment and the society.
 - To create environmental awareness among the local community, visitors, tourists and the newly established organizations.
 - To conserve and manage natural resources.

NETIF’S Activities since its establishment are as follows:

 - Environment Conservation.
 - Tourism Management.
 - Community Development.
 - Culture and Heritage protection and preservation related.
 - Visitor’s Information Centre development in Dhulikhel, Kavre District.

Email: netifnepal@gmail.com
Phone No: 977-1-4420776, Fax No- 977-1-14420778