KATHMANDU, Jan 1: Hotel and restaurant businesses in Nepal contribute Rs 109.27 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The National Hotel and Restaurant Survey 2080 report unveiled by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Wednesday shows that the contribution of hotels and restaurants accounted for around two percent of Nepal’s GDP in the fiscal year 2022/23. According to the NSO, the sector created a new value addition of more than Rs 109 billion in the review year.
This is the first time in the past two decades that the government body has conducted a survey of the hotels and restaurants operating in the country. Hem Raj Regmi, deputy chief statistician at the NSO, said that the survey covered star hotels, resorts, non-star hotels, homestays, and other accommodation and food service businesses.
Karnali Province’s GDP to grow marginally by Rs 22 billion to R...
According to the NSO report, a total of Rs 216.73 billion has been invested in the country’s hotels and restaurants. They produce services worth approximately Rs 326.14 billion annually.
The fixed assets of these establishments total around Rs 543.25 billion. Of these establishments, 28.4 percent have taken loans from financial institutions, while 71.6 percent are based on the promoters’ capital.
The survey report reveals that 387,747 people are involved in these establishments, including entrepreneurs, partners, unpaid family members, and salaried employees. Direct employment in the sector amounts to 106,459 individuals. Hotels and restaurants collectively spend Rs 20.615 billion annually on salaries, wages, and benefits for their employees. The number of accommodation and food service establishments currently operating in Nepal is more than 142,000.
Bagmati Province has the highest number of hotels and restaurants, with 52,123 establishments in the province, while Karnali Province has the lowest, with 7,110. Among other provinces, Koshi has 25,887, Madhesh has 11,740, Gandaki has 16,976, Lumbini has 20,158 and Sudurpaschim has 8,228 such outlets.
The total number of hotel rooms in Nepal is 116,100, with 8,496 rooms in star hotels, 100,075 rooms in non-star hotels and lodges, 3,829 rooms in resorts, and 3,700 rooms in homestays. The study also shows that the hotels and lodges currently operating in Nepal can accommodate 2,234,852 people at a time.
Out of the total number of these hospitality services, 88 percent are restaurants while the remaining 12 percent are star hotels, lodges and other eatery businesses. There are a total of 126 star hotels, 126 resorts, 1,345 homestays and 801 catering services and banquets operating in the country.
