SOUTH ASIA 26
NEPAL
Hotel boom leads to new casino plans in Nepal Nepal is expecting further expansion of its casino industry as five-star hotels spring up across the country ahead of a major tourism initiative next year.
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If permitted, this will be second casino he Himalayan nation launches Visit Nepal 2020 in January, with a target after Tiger Palace Resort outside the capital. Nepal is set to have eight operating to attract two million tourists. The hospitality sector is already enjoying casinos after the launch of the Deltin Royale strong growth, rebounding after a major Kathmandu in mid-August. The casino is earthquake in 2015, to attract a record 1.7 the first in Nepal for India’s Delta Corp, that country’s largest operator. million tourists in 2018. Others include Casino Pride at the Hotel The Kathmandu Marriott Hotel opened in the capital city on July 19, bringing the number Hyatt Regency, Casino Bally’s Nepal at Hotel of five-star hotels in Nepal to 14. Full casinos Malla, Casino Palace at Hotel Del’ Annapurna, are only permitted in five-star properties, while Millionaire’s Club and Casino at Shangri-La mini-casinos which only offer electronic gaming Hotel, Tiger Palace Resort in Bhairahawa, Casino Mahjong at Hotel Soaltee, Casino are allowed in four-star hotels. Royale at Yak and Yeti “All five-star hotels Hotel and Casino Rad at are expected ask for Hotel Radisson. These last casinos. But they will two operate on the basis have to meet our criteria. Nepal is set of an interim order from We’ll allow them to to have eight the Supreme Court. open if they meet it,” In a ddit i on , t he said Narayan Prasad operating casinos Department of Tourism Bhattarai, an officer after the launch of expects a Chinese business who heads the casino group to invest in a casino and hotel section of the the Deltin Royale at the five-star Aloft Department of Tourism. Kathmandu in Kathmandu Hotel, which Hotel Central Plaza, mid-August. recently began operations located in the southwestern in Chhaya Devi Centre, city of Nepalgunj, was the country’s largest given a five-star rating shopping complex. Mechi by the Department of Tourism in March. While in the same city, Crown, a five-star hotel under construction which serves as a gateway for Indian pilgrims in eastern Nepal, will also reportedly house travelling to Kailash Mansarovar in China’s a casino, while rebuilding at the earthquakeTibetan region, Soaltee Westend Premier was damaged five-star Everest Hotel, which earlier housed Casino Everest in Kathmandu, is awarded a five-star rating earlier this year. The rise in five-star hotels outside Kathmandu nearing completion. Much of the optimism about the potential was prompted by a government policy to encourage tourism across the nation. In Pokhara, the for Nepal’s casino sector stems from its country’s second-largest city, a Swiss hotel chain proximity to India, where casinos are banned, apart from in the states of Goa and Sikkim. launched Swiss International Sarovar in June. Local company, Imperial Nepal, has The country’s rapidly expanding middle applied to operate a casino in the Soaltee class, coupled with a strong propensity to Westend Premier in Nepalgunj, near Nepal’s gamble, is expected to fuel outbound travel to neighbouring casino resorts. border with India.
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Asia Gaming Briefings | September 2019
