KATHMANDU, JULY 25
The Centurion Mall and Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to operate a chain of Radisson in Biratnagar, the capital of Province 1.
The MoU was signed by Chairman of Century Group of Companies (CGC) Moti Dugar and Managing Director and Vice- President of Operation, South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group (RHG), Zubin Saxena here today.
Talking to The Himalayan Times, Saxena said, "We have reached a hotel management agreement with the Century Group to operate a 145-room hotel under the Radisson at the Centurion Mall. The hotel will start operations from the third quarter of 2024 as the building is still under construction."
According to Saxena, RHG has major expansion plans for Nepal and wants to be seen in all seven provinces of the country as it has high tourism potential. "The new project is going to be a brand-defining Radisson hotel and a flagship moment for us," he shared.
Replying to queries on the challenges and prospects for Radisson in Biratnagar, Saxena said, "I think the challenges are global at the moment considering the state of the global economy and the tourism sector over the last couple of years due to the COVID-19 crisis. It impacted the business and tourism sector, so I would say that the challenges at hand are common across the globe. However, with the global business and tourism sector starting to revive again after the pandemic, we think that the worst is now over and are optimistic about the future."
Saxena also shared plans to start operations in other parts of the country, including Lumbini, Pokhara and Bhairahawa, in the near future. "I imagine we would have at least 25 hotels in the country over the next decade.
For us, Nepal is a market where we have had a presence for 25 years. We understand the operations, business realities, and seasonality in this market and have been through a fairly long learning curve here and have also achieved success. We are extremely confident about our expansion in Nepal and expect to start operations across the country similar to the pace of expansion in India."
According to him, the Nepali market is primed for growth and success and 'the demographics and economic plans for our future in Nepal supports the hospitality industry'.
Furthermore, Saxena stressed the need for optimism and caution at the same time. "We have learnt a great deal over the past couple of years. As an industry, Radisson Hotel is here to serve."
The hotel is located 4.2 kilometres from the Biratnagar Airport, a 15-minutes distance from Jogbani Railway Station in Bihar, India, and 8.6 kilometres from the border with the Southern neighbour. It is the first property to be managed by Radisson. The mall spans over 60,000 square foot space and will provide options for dining, shopping, and entertainment access to the visiting guests. The 140-room hotel will also include five-star amenities such as a swimming pool, gym, spa, specialty restaurant, and a 10,000-square-foot banquet area along with a casino.
According to CGC Chairman Dugar, the property was built at an investment of three billion rupees.
"A full standard five-star hotel was the next logical step in Biratnagar. I have always found the Radisson to be one of the best in terms of providing premium hospitality and wanted to bring the Radisson Hotel to Biratnagar."
He shared that although tourism is lower compared to some parts of the country, there is a huge tourism potential in Province 1 as the highest mountains in the world are also located in the same region, adding that the province also holds several major religious sites of the country.
Stating that the mall is situated at the heart of the city, Dugar remarked that the project is ideal for both business and leisure-oriented guests because of the facilities and amenities. He also said that Biratnagar is the industrial capital and the fastest growing provincial capital of Nepal, adding that the province neighbours the Indian state of Bihar and West Bengal making it a hotspot for local and international tourists.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 26, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
