Nepal, July 19 -- Until about 15 years ago, Butwal and Bhairahawa did not have a single star-rated hotel. Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, had barely eight to 10 large tourist hotels, while the number of small and medium sized hotels was also limited. Butwal was home to hotels such as Sindoor, Siddhartha, Kandara and Royal, while Bhairahawa had Yeti, Himalaya and Nirvana.

There were comparatively more small and medium sized hotels in Butwal and Bhairahawa. It was only after the 2006 People's Movement that large, high-standard hotels began to emerge in the two cities.

The development of hotels in Lumbini is closely linked to the implementation of the Lumbini Master Plan designed by renowned Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Work on the ...