Promoters to hand over management to an international hotel chain

POKHARA, July 5: Fulbari Resort & Spa, a landmark property in Pokhara, is preparing to resume its operation.

The resort has remained closed since mid-September last year due to labor problem. 

Now, the resort is preparing to handover management to an international hotel chain. “We are signing agreement with the international hotel chain very soon. The chain will bring the resort back into operation,” Samir Kapil, general manager of Fulbari Resort & Spa, told Republica.

According to Kapil, the resort is likely to restart operation from October. He, however, said that the exact date will be finalized after signing agreement with the international chain. “Partnership with international hotel chain will help us to bring guests. As the new management will promote the property itself, it is will be easier to operate the resort,” he added.

The resort, however, will have to undergo maintenance works before it returns back to business. Kapil told Republica that it will take at least four to five months to make the resort ready to receive guests. “As per our estimation, around Rs 400 million will be needed for maintenance works. We will start maintenance works as soon as we sign management contract with the international chain,” he added.

As we need to carry out maintenance works and upgrade facilities as per the interest of the new management, we are waiting for the signing of management contract, added Kapil.

He also said that it was unfortunate that the resort had to cease operation due to labor problem. “Fulbari Resort is the pride of the nation. One needs to invest Rs 5-6 billion to build resort of this scale. It will take at least five years to build similar resort now,” he added.

The resort ceased operation in mid-September 2017 after the management failed to find solution to demands raised by the workers. “We had to close the resort because of trade union activities. The management could not take action against some wrongdoing staffers because of the pressure of trade union leaders,” he said, adding: “The management chose to officially close the property by clearing all liabilities of the workers.”

The management released 117 staffers by paying all payables and gratuity as per the Labor Act.
The resort was established in 1998 with an investment of Rs 3 billion. The 165-room property was charging tourists between US$100 and $300 for room. It is spread over 209 ropani of land including a golf course spread over 140 ropani. One ropani is equal to 5476 square foot.

The government of Province 4 has also requested the resort management to resume operation at the earliest to achieve the government’s target of bringing two million tourists by 2020. Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest, and Environment of Province 4, Bikash Lamsal, said that he had requested the resort management to reopen the resort at the earliest. “We need to have infrastructures like Fulbari Resort if we are to welcome high-end tourists,” he told Republica.

 
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