SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, JAN 13 -
One of the notable things that Nepal Tourism Year has done is bring back investment in the tourism sector after a long gap. Hotels are now on an expansion drive with five-star hotels in Kathmandu alone investing around Rs 500 million in 2010. Luxury hotels have also been established elsewhere in the country, mainly in Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Lumbini and Kanchanpur.
These investments make huge business sense as there is optimism in the hospitality industry after the record number of tourist arrivals in 2010. With the country targeting one million tourists in 2011 through NTY, expansion and upgradation of hotels was bound to happen.
Hoteliers say the industry has been looking for an event to boost their occupancy level. “For the last two years, the average hotel occupancy was around 70-75 percent,” said Vini K. Gupta, general manager of the Soaltee Crowne Plaza. “NTY would increase it to 80 percent.”
Kathmandu’s five-star hotels—Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Yak & Yeti, Shangri-La, Radisson, Everest, De ‘l Annapurna—all have redecorated most of their rooms. The Soaltee has refurbished 130 rooms in the Princep Wing. It is replacing the TVs in all its rooms with 42 inch-LCD TVs. According to Gupta, the Soaltee has planned to spend Rs 750 million during 2010-12 on infrastructure expansion and upgradation.
The Radisson is adding 100 rooms. According to the hotel, the new rooms will be spacious and have contemporary looks, lighting and furniture. The hotel is planning to complete the expansion project by the first half of 2011.
The Yak & Yeti is giving a new look to 150 rooms in the Durbar Wing while the Everest has renovated 40 of its 160 rooms. The Annapurna is now working to refurbish its 150 rooms.
A number of hotels including Himalaya are busy upgrading themselves to five-star status. The Himalaya is adding 25 rooms for a total of 125 rooms.
Two new four-star hotels have come in the Capital alone. The Implementing Expert Group (IEG) has opened the Airport Hotel at Sinamangal while the Red Rose Apartment Hotel is slated to be operational by March. “We are planning to launch Red Rose Apartment by March,” said executive director Binayak Shah.
The investment drive is also visible outside Kathmandu. Nagarkot’s deluxe resort, Club Himalaya, has added ....... to make it a 75-room property.
Nepalgunj, a business hub in western Nepal, saw the opening of a four-star hotel the Siddhartha View in 2010 built with an investment of Rs 290 million. Another hotel in Nepalgunj, the Hotel Sneha, has been upgraded from one star to three stars.
A three-star property the Hotel Kasai has opened in Lumbini, one of the major destinations for Buddhist tourists. The Kasai Group of Japan has invested Rs 500 million in the 46-room hotel.
Two more three-star hotels—Hotel Opera in Kanchanpur and Hotel Ratna in Biratnagar—have upgraded themselves to three-star category.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, there has been new momentum in registering resorts in the country. Three new resorts—Sukute Beach Adventure Camp in Sindhupalchok, Balthali Village Resort and Kinnari Resort in Kavrepalanchok—received their operating licenses in 2010.
According to the Tourism Ministry, it is currently reviewing the applications of another four resorts—Narayani Resort in Nawalparasi, Pristine Paradise Tent Resort in Dhulikhel, Tiger Land Safari in Chitwan and Two River Lodge in Melamchi.
The private sector is hopeful that the huge investment will yield results. “The flourishing inbound tourism market has encouraged investors like us, and the response so far is also good,” said Shah.
Apart from expanding infrastructure, hotels are also readying their staff by providing them training.
“We are also training our staff targeting NTY 2011,” said Amir Pradhananga, sales and marketing director of the Everest Hotel. Likewise, the Hotel Soaltee is also currently giving training to its staff.
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