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Three-star hotels record highest occupancy rate

Three-star hotels had the highest occupancy rate among star hotels in Nepal 2011.

According to the Tour-ism Ministry, the occupancy rate of three-star hotels in Kathmandu stood at 64.4 percent compared to 61.63 percent for five-star hotels.

The ministry’s survey of room occupancy rates of five- and three-star properties examined eight five-star hotels and 13 three-star hotels in Kathmandu.

According to the survey, 15 three-star hotels in Kathmandu produced a combined 596 rooms with 1,107 room-nights daily. The largest proportion of foreigners resided in three-star hotels. Based on the resea-rch, three-star hotels recor-ded the highest occupancy in November, October and April. These three months are the peak tourist season.

Comparatively, The occupancy rate of five-star hotels was higher in October at 77.43 percent and in November at 85.96 percent as against 74.7 percent and 83.1 percent of three-star hotels in the same period last year.

“The comparative figure indicates that Nepal receives high-end holiday makers during October-November,” said Rabi Prasad Kayastha, chief statistician at the ministry.

The October-November periods is the major season for holidaymakers from long haul markets like Europe and the US. This period accounts for more than 40 percent of the annual arrivals in Nepal.

The second highest occupancy was recorded during the April-June period. Three-star properties achieved occupancy rates of 71.2 percent, 67.9 percent and 65.3 percent in April, May and June respectively against 67.73 percent, 58.94 percent and 56.11 percent respectively in five-star hotels.

This period is the peak season for regional markets including China, according to travel trade entrepreneurs. Indian tourists make up the largest share of arrivals during April-June. During Nepal Tourism Year 2011, the private sector launched a campaign named “Garmi se Behal, Chalo Nepal” in different Indian cities to attract more Indian travellers to Nepal.

According to the survey, the lean season for five-star hotels is January and July while July and January are the slow months for three-star hotels. Tourist arrivals in Nepal in 2011 reached more than 735,000.

source: The Kathmandu Post,30 June 2012