Narayan Bareth BBC correspondent in Jaipur

Nepal has launched a campaign in India to attract tourists.

Nepalese tourism authorities say they have tightened security and that there is no threat to Indian visitors to the country.

Nepal's tourism industry, which makes up about four-per-cent of the country's gross domestic product, fell after the 11 September attacks in America.

The Nepalese Tourism Board's (NTB) Director, Tek Bahadur Dangi, told reporters in the Indian city of Jaipur that a tourism festival would be formally launched on 1 May this year in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.

He said this 90-day festival would provide a mesmerising backdrop for tourists who would find the festival and other attractions an irresistible offer.

Advantages for Indians

The NTB has announced a huge discount to tourists during this festival period.

Maoist rebels have not targeted tourists

Mr Dangi said Nepal offered advantages to Indian tourists which no other country could match.

According to NTB figures, more than 140,000 Indian tourists visited Nepal in 1999 but their number dropped to about 95,000 in 2000.

Nepalese tourism officials said the main objective of the festival was to revise Nepal's tourism policies through international publicity and promotion.

The Himalayan kingdom has already launched the Destination Nepal Campaign 2002-3 focusing mainly on promoting tourism in the Indian market.

Mr Dangi said Nepal was also targeting the US and European markets.

Analysts say Nepal is trying hard to boost its tourism industry in order to improve the state of its economy.