Tapping the potential of jungle safari business, leading business house Chaudhary Group and Pokhara-based Barahi Hotel have started construction of new resorts in between Jitpur Bazaar and the bank of Rapti River. [break]
Construction of Barahi Jungle Lodge, promoted by Barahi Hotel, is about to finish. The 40-room lodge, which stretches on 12.19 hectares of land, is expected to come into operation by the end of next month. The lodge is being constructed at a cost of Rs 200 million.
Chaudhary Group, meanwhile, is constructing a resort just three hundred meters east of Barahi Jungle Lodge.
Chaudhary Group started construction of the resort in February with the target of commencing operation next year.
“More investors are interested in opening resorts and hotels in Meghauli which has emerged as an alternative destination for Sauraha,” said Indra Bahadur KC, chairman of the Meghauli Tourism Development Committee.
Despite huge potential for jungle safari tourism, luxurious hotels or resorts have not sprung up in Meghauli area, despite opening up of Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, the oldest resort in Nepal, some four decades ago. Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge was shut down last year after the government denied renewing its operating license.
This gap, so far, was being filled by around half a dozen small lodges operating in Meghauli, which remained the venue for the World Elephant Polo Competition for four decades until last year.
Pace of opening new resorts and hotels in areas adjoining the CNP accelerated after the deadline to relocate seven resorts running inside the park expired last year.
“We chose Meghauli as the location for our new resort as it is peaceful, while the possibility of coming across wild animals is also high here,” said Biplab Poudel, proprietor of Barahi Jungle Lodge, adding, the lodge would offer high-end service to guests.
The lodge has fixed a tariff of US$300 per person for one-night-two-day package. However, charges will be higher for those opting for suites.
Similarly, Chaudhary Group, which has also invested in hotels run by Taj Group, is opening the lodge as a part of Zinc InVision Hospitality, an international hotel and resort chain promoted by Chaudhary Group. Zink InVision Hospitality, which has set a target of opening 15 hotels and resorts in eight countries across Asia, is planning to open resorts in Meghauli, Bharatpur and Kathmandu.
“Investment from an international hotel chain in our country is good news for the tourism sector. But, we have to improve the quality of roads and liberalize the existing rules of national park to facilitate operation of resorts near the park area,” said Suman Ghimire, general secretary of the Hotel Association of Nepal, Chitwan, Sauraha, Chapter.
Caption: Barahi Jungle Lodge which is coming into operation by next month in Meghauli, Chitwan. Photo: Ramesh Poudel/Republica
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