Ishwor Aryal, Kathmandu. The number of establishments related to accommodation and food services currently operating in Nepal is around 150,000. The survey conducted by the National Statistics Office has studied the status of star hotels, resorts, non-star hotels, home-stays, etc. related to the accommodation and food business.

According to the National Hotel and Restaurant Survey 2080 report released by the National Statistics Office, the number of establishments providing accommodation and food services is 142,223.

The highest number of hotels and restaurants is in Bagmati Province with 52,123, while the lowest number is in Karnali Province with 7,110. Similarly, there are 25,887 in Koshi, 11,740 in Madesh, 16,976 in Gandaki, 20,158 in Lumbini and 8,228 in Sudurpaschim.

According to the study report, the number of people involved in such establishments is 387,747. This is the number of entrepreneurs and partners, unpaid family members, and salaried employees in the hotel and restaurant business.

The number of people directly employed in this sector is 106,459. The study report states that hotels and restaurants spend 20.615 billion rupees on annual salaries, wages and benefits of employees.

The report states that establishments providing accommodation and food services have a cost of about 216.7383 billion rupees and have produced services worth about 326.14 billion rupees. Accordingly, it appears that establishments providing accommodation and food services have added value to the Nepalese economy of about 199.271 billion rupees.

The establishment providing accommodation and food services has fixed assets worth approximately Rs 543.2582 billion, the study said.

Of these establishments, about 28.4 percent appear to have taken loans from financial institutions, while 71.6 percent have not taken loans from the establishment.

The number of rooms in hotels is 116,100. Of these, 8,496 rooms are in star hotels, 175 in non-star hotels and lodges, 3,829 in resorts, and 3,700 in home-stays, the study shows.

The study states that hotels and lodges currently operating in Nepal have the capacity to serve 2,234,852 people at a time.