KATHMANDU, July 28: The Hilton Hotel in Naxal, Kathmandu, has come into operation since Friday, marking a significant addition to Nepal's hospitality industry as the sector rebounds from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Inaugurating the hotel on Friday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed his belief that the new hotel would help attract foreign tourists to Nepal. PM Oli extended his best wishes to the international chain hotel, Hilton. "I believe the operation of Hilton Hotel will contribute to Nepal's tourism and hospitality," he stated.

The Hilton Hotel, built by the Hotel Shankar Group with an investment of Rs 8 billion, began construction seven years ago. The facility boasts 174 rooms. Hilton, an international hotel chain, operates under 24 different brands spread across 126 countries.

The Department of Industry (DoI) registered over 516 new hotel projects between 2014 and mid-January 2020, with investments totaling Rs 96.38 billion. About a dozen new star and deluxe hotels have come into operation in Nepal since February 2022 in the post-pandemic period.