- Nepal has waived fees for climbing 97 Himalayan peaks
- The waived peaks are in Karnali and Sudurpashchim, Nepal's poorest provinces
- Permit prices also increased to $350 for lower peaks and $15,000 for Everest
Nepal is making nearly 100 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years. The Himalayan nation's government has waived the royalty for 97 peaks in the provinces of Karnali and Sudurpashchim. The step aims to draw mountaineers to the less developed region bordering China.
Nepal has opened 491 peaks, but tourists mainly focus on the 25 of them in the country's northeast and central regions, including Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, which hundreds of people attempt to climb annually.
The country has also hiked the permit prices beginning in September to $350 for a lower peak, up from $250 previously, and to $15,000 for Everest from $11,000, the first such increase in nearly a decade.
The fee for mountains in the Karnali and Sudurpaschim regions, where peaks range from 5,970 metres to 7,132 metres, will be waived. Located in the far-western region of Nepal, these provinces are among the poorest and least developed in the country.
Mountaineering is a major source of revenue for Nepal, which is home to the ten tallest mountains. Last year, climbing fees generated $5.9 million, with Everest accounting for over three-quarters of it. The country's tourism department expressed hope that the effort would highlight the "unexplored tourism products and destinations".
According to Himal Gautam, a Tourism Department official, the move to waive permit costs for 97 peaks is intended to encourage mountaineering on smaller mountains in remote locations. Speaking with Reuters, Mr Gautam said, "The idea is to encourage climbers to go to unexplored yet scenic areas and mountain peaks."
Of these peaks, twenty are in Sudurpaschim and seventy-seven are in Karnali province, according to The Kathmandu Post. "Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help. They can create jobs, generate income, and strengthen the local economy," Mr Gautam was quoted as saying by the outlet.
The removal of the permit fee will boost tourism and improve economic conditions in the least developed region of the country, he said.
The country's parliament is debating a law requiring climbers to summit a mountain over 7,000m before attempting Everest, which makes the Karnali and Sudurpaschim peaks an ideal training ground, The Kathmandu Post reported.
