Nepal plans to raise the climbing permit fees for Mount Everest by over 35%, marking the first increase in nearly a decade and making access to the world’s highest peak more costly for mountaineers, according to officials.
Revenue from permit fees, along with expenditures by international climbers, serves as a significant financial resource and source of employment for the cash-strapped nation, which boasts eight of the 14 tallest mountains globally, including Mount Everest.
As stated by Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general of the Department of Tourism, a permit to ascend the 8,849-meter Mount Everest will now cost $15,000 (€14,411), reflecting a 36% hike from the previous fee of $11,000 that has remained unchanged for almost ten years.
“The royalty (permit fees) had not been evaluated for quite some time. We have revised them now,” Mr. Regmi noted.
Fees for the less frequented climbing season from September to November, as well as the seldom-attempted December to February season, will also see a 36% increase, bringing the costs to $7,500 and $3,750 respectively.
Some expedition organizers mentioned that the fee increase, which has been under consideration since last year, is unlikely to deter climbers from attempting the ascent.
Approximately 300 permits are issued annually for Everest.
“We anticipated this rise in permit fees,” commented Lukas Furtenbach from Austria-based expedition company, Furtenbach Adventures.
He described the increase as an “understandable measure” taken by the Nepalese government.
“I am confident that the additional income will be utilized to protect the environment and enhance safety on Everest,” Mr. Furtenbach remarked.
Mr. Regmi did not specify how the additional revenue would be allocated.
Every year, hundreds of climbers attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest and other peaks in the Himalayas.
Nepal often faces criticism from mountaineering experts for permitting too many climbers on Everest and failing to adequately maintain cleanliness or ensure the safety of climbers.
In response, Mr. Regmi stated that cleaning campaigns are organized to collect waste, while rope-fixing and various safety measures are carried out regularly.
Climbers returning from Everest report that the mountain is increasingly dry and rocky, with diminished snow and precipitation, a change that experts attribute to global warming or other environmental shifts.
