"Nepal has about 150,000 hotels/restaurents"

KATHMANDU, JANUARY 1: A recent survey conducted by the National Statistics Office of Nepal has revealed that the country is home to approximately 150,000 establishments providing accommodation and food services. The "National Hotel and Restaurant Survey 2080" reports an exact figure of 142,223 such businesses.

Bagmati Province takes the lead with the highest number of hotels and restaurants at 52,123, while Karnali Province has the lowest at 7,110. Other provinces like Koshi, Madhesh, Gandaki, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschim also have significant numbers of these establishments.

The survey further indicates that these establishments collectively employ nearly 387,747 individuals, including owners, partners, family members, and paid staff. Directly, the sector provides employment to over 106,459 people. The annual expenses related to employee salaries, wages, and benefits in this sector amount to approximately Rs. 20 billion.

The total cost incurred by these establishments is estimated to be around Rs. 216 billion, and they generate services valued at approximately Rs. 326 billion. This translates to a value addition of roughly Rs. 109 billion to Nepal's economy.

Furthermore, the fixed assets of these establishments are valued at approximately Rs. 543 billion. While 28.4% of these businesses have taken loans from financial institutions, the remaining 71.6% operate without any external debt.

The survey also provides a breakdown of accommodation facilities, revealing a total of 116,100 rooms across the country. Star hotels account for 8,496 of these rooms, while non-star hotels, lodges, resorts, and homestays separately contribute to the remaining numbers. The study concludes that the existing hotels and lodges in Nepal have the capacity to serve over 2.2 million people simultaneously.