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Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest at 8,849 meters. According to the latest announcement from the Director of Nepal's National Tourism Administration, Narayan Prasad Regmi, the permit fee for climbing Mount Everest will officially increase to $15,000, a 36% increase from the current price. This decision marks the first adjustment to climbing fees in a decade.
Speaking to Reuters, Regmi said: "The climbing permit fees haven't been adjusted for a long time. We've just updated the fees." However, Regmi did not disclose further details on how the increased revenue would be used.
Nepal has just announced its decision to increase the Everest climbing permit fee by 36%.
The new fee regulations will take effect from September of this year and will apply to the peak climbing season from April to May each year. Climbers choosing to conquer Everest via the historic South East Ridge or South Col routes, where Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made history in 1953, will have to comply with these new fees. Specifically during the peak climbing season from April to May, climbers will have to pay $15,000 to obtain a permit.
The mountaineering industry, particularly the conquest of Mount Everest, plays a crucial role in boosting Nepal's economy. Income from licensing fees and related activities provides a stable source of revenue, contributing to the country's socio-economic development and creating jobs for thousands of local people.
This means that the journey to the summit of Everest will be more expensive.
The licensing fees for the less popular climbing seasons, September to November and December to February, will also increase by 36%, to $7,500 and $3,750 respectively. Regmi explained that the fee adjustment was necessary after years of no change: "The licensing fees haven't been reviewed for a long time. We've updated them now."
According to expedition organizers, this increase, although discussed since last year, is unlikely to reduce the number of climbers. Lukas Furtenbach, founder of Furtenbach Adventures in Austria, commented: “We anticipated this increase. This is an understandable move by the Nepalese government, and I believe the additional funds will be used to improve safety and environmental protection on Everest.”
Each year, hundreds of mountaineers attempt to conquer Everest and other peaks in the Himalayas. However, returning climbers report that the mountain is becoming increasingly arid, rocky, and with a noticeable decrease in snow cover, possibly due to the effects of climate change and other environmental alterations.
