Development of Hospitality Industry in Nepal

 30 New Hotel coming up in Pokhara

Pokhara, the most popular tourist destination of the country, is set to get 30 new hotels in a year, as entrepreneurs are readily investing more money in the hospitality industry to cater to the growing inflow of domestic as well as foreign tourists. According to Pokhara Tourism Office, entrepreneurs have taken permission for the construction 30 new hotels in the lake city. Likewise, the office has also issued permits to build eight hotels in nearby districts. Four of the hotels will be built in Mustang, while two will be built in Myagdi and one each in Tanahun and Baglung. Most of the new hotels are of tourist class category. The new hotels are being constructed with investment in range of Rs 600,000 to Rs 20 million, depending upon their size, capacity and location . At least Rs 160 million is being invested in these hotels, according to the office.

The new hotels will add 450 rooms and 850 beds in Pokhara alone. With the fresh permit, the number of hotels in the city has reached about 600. Entrepreneurs said they are investing in hotel industry mainly because they are hopeful that the positive impact of Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011, which brought in substantial number of tourists in the city, would continue to have its effect in the coming years as well. Referring to the recent ´Vision 2020´ the government has accorded top priority to the tourism sector and has promised to launch special programs to promote the sector consistently through these years. Pokhara is presently serving half a million tourists, including domestic visitors, in a year.

Not just the hotel industry, travel and trekking businesses have also recorded substantial rise in investment over the year. Seventeen travel agencies and eight trekking agencies have received permission from Pokhara Tourism Office so far this year. Together they have injected fresh investment of Rs 55 million in the travel trade industry.With these new agencies, the number of travel and trekking agencies in Pokhara has reached 188 and 83 respectively.