Kathmandu: Most workers at the international hotel chain Hilton in Kathmandu have been transferred to other foreign chain hotels after the property was shut down following severe damage caused by arson during the Gen Z protest on September 10.
With the hotel closed indefinitely, all employees working at the Kathmandu Hilton have been shifted to other international hotels under the same global network.
Before the protest-related violence, the hotel employed 235 workers. After suffering extensive damage and being forced to shut down, Hilton temporarily relocated its staff to other properties across the Asia-Pacific region. According to the company, this move was intended to protect employees’ jobs, with arrangements made for them to return to Nepal once the Kathmandu hotel is rebuilt and resumes operations.
A senior Hilton official said that most employees were absorbed into other international chain hotels. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one employee said they had feared losing their job after the Kathmandu Hilton was set on fire, but the company instead offered them an opportunity to continue working abroad. The employee told Clickmandu that they have been working at a Hilton-affiliated hotel outside Nepal for the past two months.
According to Shankar Group director Sulabh Agrawal, the principal Nepali investor in the Hilton Kathmandu, staff management has been entirely handled by Hilton as it is an international chain hotel. He said he was not aware of the exact number of employees who had been placed in overseas hotels or how many might still receive such opportunities, adding that all operational decisions are being managed directly by Hilton.
It is estimated that around 150 employees have already been placed within the Hilton chain abroad. Of the total workforce, 183 were directly employed by the hotel, while 53 were indirectly associated through various services.
Located in Naxal, the hotel had only begun operations on 2 August 2024. Built on a 10-ropani site, the 17-story property featured 172 rooms, including one presidential suite, two luxury suites, and ten other suites.
The damage inflicted on the Hilton during the Gen Z protest is considered the largest loss suffered by Nepal’s tourism sector to date. The complete destruction of the international chain hotel in Naxal is estimated to have caused losses of Rs 7 to 8 billion. The property had been classified as a five-star deluxe hotel, a top-tier category in Nepal’s hospitality industry.
A study report by the Nepal Tourism Board states that the hotel was forced to shut down completely after September 10 due to damage to its machinery, operational equipment, and movable assets. The report also notes that the protest not only caused massive physical damage but also resulted in the loss of daily revenue estimated at Rs 2.5 million.
According to the report obtained by Clickmandu, Hilton Kathmandu stands out as the first and most severely affected hotel in the tourism sector following the Gen Z protest, marking one of the biggest single losses the industry has ever faced in Nepal.
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