Nepal will offer free climbing permits for 97 of its mountain peaks over the next two years to promote tourism in some of the country’s remote areas.
During the climbing season starting in September, the permit fee for Mount Everest — the world’s highest peak — has been set at $15,000. This marks the first increase in Everest climbing fees in nearly a decade.
The Department of Tourism hopes this initiative will serve as a stepping stone to showcase Nepal’s “remote tourist destinations.” Mountaineering is a major source of revenue for the country, which is home to eight of the world’s ten tallest peaks.
Last year, Nepal earned nearly $6 million from mountaineering permits, with more than three-quarters of the revenue coming solely from Everest.
