KATHMANDU: The private sector, especially hoteliers, have been attracted towards hotel business in Bhairahawa after the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport. As the international airport is coming into operation soon, entrepreneurs have started investing more in hotel business.
The private sector had expanded their investment in the sector targeting the possible market demand at the Buddha’s birth place. Calibration flights have already started in the airport. Eight to ten star hotels are under construction in Bhairahawa and Lumbini areas now.
Entrepreneurs had invested Rs. 50 billion for the business in Rupandehi and hotels have more than 15,000 occupancy capacity per day, informed Ram Prasad Gautam, District Chairperson of Hotel Association Nepal.
Chandra Prakesh Shrestha, chairman of Siddharthanagar Hotel Association, is also delighted over the opportunities in the sector. He says that hotels in Bhairahawa can offer quality services inside the municipality. “About 4,000 guests can be accommodated with quality services in the city at a night,” he said.
Besides, about 5,000 other guests could be accommodated in the hotels in Lumbini and its periphery.
According to Madhav Khanal, General Secretary of Siddharthanagar Hotel Association, there are above 1,000 hotels providing services to the guests in the district now. “Above 1,400 hotels are in operation in Butwal and 116 others in Bhairahawa,” he said, adding that the hotels can provide services to 15,000 guests at a time. About 20,000 workers have got job opportunity in the sector.
Khanal said the entrepreneurs had upgraded the services in existing hotels and extended the investment in the sector targeting the foreign tourists. “Investment increased in hotels, clubs, restaurants and casinos in recent days thanks to the international airport,” he added.
According to him, there are 1,200 hotels in Bhairahawa and peripheral areas including the only five-star Tiger Palace. Another Pawan Palace International started its services to the consumers and Redsun and Dreamland Gold Resort had extended its services.
Some other star hotels like Hotel Megha, Hotel Riddhisiddhi, Hotel Kansai, Hotel Buddhamaya Garden are under construction. “They will offer services very soon,” he said. Eleven hotels are about to offer services from Lumbini.