A couple from India, lived in Rupandehi

Along with the tradition of going to a destination far away from home and enjoying the joy of marriage, the main income of the small and large investment hotels operating here have become social activities. Getting married in hotels and party palaces in and around the

district has become common. Lately, bride and groom parties from different cities of India have been coming to the hotels here for residential weddings. In this way, the businessman said that the destination is being promoted along with the income from the weddings that are conducted in 'packages'. Relatives and guests come from India along with the respective families for the wedding. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the five-star Tiger Palace Resort located in Tilottma-15, Deepak Uktar, says that when they come in large numbers, there are no rooms in the hotel. "There were 11 weddings at the resort in eight months," he said, "In addition to Kathmandu, they came here from Lucknow, Kanpur, New Delhi to get married." The writer says that because the boys and girls come, the resort is full and they have to book rooms in other hotels. Mentioning that business community including Marwaris of Nepal and India have been going to Maldives, Bali and Dubai for wedding programs for a long time, he said, "Rupandehi has become a potential place where such marriages can be diverted."

The writer said that 20 to 30 percent of the total income of five-star hotels in Kathmandu is contributed by social activities. He said that the design of the hotel is being prepared targeting such social activities including weddings and it will be realized soon. "We are talking with the consultant about how to make it," said the author, "we will come soon with a new form."

There are many who come here from Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi to get married. Businessmen say that cultural relations between Nepal and India have helped in organizing such events. There is a dearth of classy and large hotels in the cities of Uttar Pradesh, India. According to Bishnu Bhandari, Branding Head of Hotel Pauwa, Indian guests need a lot of 'respect' when they do a wedding in a hotel, so they are choosing this destination for good hospitality. Many Indians visit the branches of Hotel Pauwa in Bhairahwa and Butwal in Rupandehi for weddings. "Many families are coming from Delhi and Lucknow for weddings," Bhandari said, "In Poua alone, 50 weddings are taking place every year from India alone." Hotel rooms are filled with wedding guests. "Getting married in Nepal is cheaper than India," said Bhandari, "The environment here is also good and safe." The hotels in the

district have not only invested in rooms and restaurants. They are investing a lot in the banquet hall and decorations. General hotels have also built event halls here. They are attracted to group tourism as traditionally selling food and rooms does not generate profit according to investment. JP Subedi, the operations manager of the Chartare Hotel Asian Buddha in Bhairahawa, predicts that the 6/7 wedding program will be held in the coming Baisakh.

'Two weddings have been booked,' said Subedi, 'We are discussing a wedding event with 1,000 participants.' "There are 6/7 weddings in a month," he said. Hotels here have sent marketing teams to major cities in India to promote such events.

Rajesh Mahotra, the deputy general secretary of the Federation of Hoteliers of Nepal and the owner of Hotel Sunstar, said that it has become a ritual to get married in a hotel. "It is becoming a tradition to come here from India to get married," he said, "Indians have become attracted because of the unique style of entertaining guests here." Swadeshi wedding programs use halls and food. Rooms are also sold when people come from India and get married here. Mahotra said that the income is good because they stay here for two or three days and miss the wedding. He said that there is a lack of space in the slums due to increasing urbanization, so halls are needed for convenience. "Apart from weddings, income is being generated from marketing, corporate meetings, government and private sector programs," he said, "Tourism sector has started to change." Due to Gautam Buddha International Airport, investment in hotels and restaurants is increasing. The five-star Tiger Palace Resort in Tilottama has resumed operations with new management. Five-star hotel Siddharth Vilasa has come into operation in Bhairahawa. A four star hotel Landmark is operational near Belhia in Bhairahawa. Chartare Bhairawa Garden Resort is operating in the center of Bhairawa. Four-star hotels Nance, Maurya, Nirvana, Bodhi Redson, Asian Buddha and others are in operation. There is a plan to operate a hotel with big investment around the Butwal-Bhairawa commercial route section. Class hotels are operating in business centers Butwal, Siyari, Suddhodhan, Sainamaina, Devdah and Lumbini.