"The 19th Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival opened on Friday in the Nepalese town of Sauraha, drawing large crowds to the annual event celebrating elephant-themed activities and local culture, as part of efforts to boost the regional economy. Footage from the opening day shows a colourful procession of decorated elephants parading through the streets alongside performers in traditional dress. Visitors of all ages were seen taking part in the festivities, which also featured activities such as elephant football and elephant beauty contests. “It's been really exciting to be part of this cultural event. It's been a lovely place, and the people are really lovely. You can see that they are really happy, and they are part of the event and the culture,” said Gabriel, a tourist visiting from Mexico. Organisers said the festival is designed to attract both domestic and international visitors to Sauraha, which serves as a gateway to Chitwan National Park, one of Nepal’s most popular wildlife destinations. “This program is organised around Christmas and the English New Year, because most tourists usually return to their home countries at this time. By holding the festival during this period, we can encourage visitors to stay longer, which is good for tourism,” said event organiser Mahesh Khanal. Hotel occupancy in the area is currently estimated at around 40 percent, with local hoteliers expecting it to rise by 20 to 25 percent during the festive period. The festival has also drawn criticism from animal rights organisations and welfare advocates, who have raised concerns over the treatment of elephants and called for the event to be banned, citing animal cruelty. Addressing the criticism, Khanal said organisers had made changes to the programme following protests. “After the animal rights protests, we stopped the elephant running event. Instead, we changed the activities to elephant penalty games, walking, and simply showcasing their beauty. We do not harm the elephants in any way,” he said. This year’s festival is scheduled to run from December 26-30 in Sauraha, featuring a packed programme of cultural performances and holiday events."