Nepal is a mountainous nation with eight of the world’s fourteen 8000 meter peaks. Nepal’s mountainous region covers 15% of the country’s total land area, and it has eight of the world’s fourteen tallest peaks above 8000 meters. The country has identified 1913 peaks over 5500 meters that are suitable for climbing, but only 326 are available to the public. The popular peaks – Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and Annapurna are the seven highest in the world. Owing to the high altitudes of the Himalayas, the cold, windy and inhospitable environment make cultivation of any nature in the region limited, however, tourists and the trekking community have been summiting the heights even with these conditions.
In 2019, the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Nepal Mountaineering Association earned NPR 686 million. In 2018, NRP 522 million was generated and NRP 440 million in 2017. Mountaineering is recognized as an industry capable of generating significant profits with minimal expenditure. Despite poor infrastructure, erratic impacts of climate change and vague permit policies, tourists are still drawn to mountaineering in Nepal which should encourage the government to focus on developing local infrastructure, safe and clean lodging, walkable trails, and competent human resource to maintain the quality of travels for anyone visiting.
The importance of mountaineering and climbing in creating sustainable local economic ecosystems in Nepal and its contribution to Nepal’s economic growth has been significant. The mountaineering sector can be assessed under multiple pillars, however, for the purpose of this study, economic aspect, innovations in the sector, government policies and the environmental consequences of the sector will be discussed.
Economic Contribution
Mountaineering tourism is a significant source of income for the Himalayan people since farming is limited in these locations due to the harsh weather conditions and poor cultivation, tourism plays a vital role in generating income. Mountain tourism pays villagers between 150 and 250 million Nepali rupees each year in salary and other services. It supports 917 trekking agencies with a management team of over 6000 people and a field force of around 9,000 people. According to data from the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), seasonal employment in all categories of support labor ranges between 40,000 and 50,000 persons. As a result, climbing is a critical business that provides much-needed income to the rural economy.
From March to May of 2022, 123 expeditions were scheduled on Nepal’s 27 peaks, with 968 permits given. This number has been improving since the COVID-19 protocols were eased. In fact, the spring season of 2021 saw the most Everest expedition teams since COVID-19, with over 400 climbing permits issued. Mountaineering licenses have generated about NPR 470 million in income for the government. Mt. Everest was the focus of 42 out of the 123 trips, with 319 persons attempting to summit it in the early months of 2022. From March to May of 2022, the royalty revenue from the authorization to climb Everest has totaled approximately NPR 396.8 million. To climb Mt. Everest, a tourist must spend USD 11,000 per person which further contributes to the economy. The government has made a profit of NPR 396.8 million by giving permission to climb Mt. Everest, which accounts for a significant portion of the overall revenue.
Innovations in the sector
Mountaineering is more than ascending tall mountains and Nepal’s mountaineering landscape is limited to a certain kind of climbing and trekking. For Nepal to establish itself as the go-to adventure destination, the country needs to expand its mountaineering activities to rock and ice climbing, white water rafting and kayaking, mountain biking, paragliding, canyoning, and heli-skiing that supplements the overall trekking experience. The seasonal nature of mountaineering hampers the revenue flow which can be improved by developing these adventure destinations to assist in encouraging year-round tourism. Furthermore, an ecosystem of such nature would also provide for year-round employment for locals.
As per the Adventure Tourism Development Index report of 2018, Nepal scored high for adventure activity resources and imagine, but fell short in the areas of safety, health and humanitarian. The report suggests that the Nepali trekking community and the government have collectively managed to create opportunities to support local businesses, infrastructurally – lodging has improved with newer review-based accommodations, issue of overcrowding has only increased which has also degraded the quality of the trails.
The Nepali tourism industry has been making concerted efforts to innovate and improve its operations. However, it’s a long way to go and the government along with the trekking community should collectively work towards digitizing the landscape. Introducing digital payments through mobile devices and enquiries through applications and websites would make travel to Nepal smoother. Sensors, digital fingerprints, automatic picture and video indexing systems, retinal scans, QR codes, and other technologies can all be used to identify travelers. These technologies can be employed at approved entry counters when check-ins are required often. It’s important for verifying a traveler while providing an admission permission and handling check-ins.
Environmental Consequences
For the past few years, Nepal’s focus has been geared towards improving and marketing Nepal as the top tourism destination. With the onset of internet and social media, tourism to Nepal has been consistent and diverse with individuals exploring not just the high altitudes, but also the culture, food, and history of the country. However, this does come with its own issues of overcrowding and environmental issues. Nepali Himalayas are known for their undulating terrain and difficult conditions, making it appealing to many mountaineers across the world.
The disproportionate human-land ratio at high altitudes have furthered the pressure on nature ecosystem with poor waste disposal of food cans, wrappers, bottles, empty oxygen cylinders, used batteries and ropes that are left behind by trekkers. Another negative consequence of tourism activities is trail degradation caused by increasing hiking traffic. Environmental harm in Nepal’s highlands is caused by a rise in human density, an over-reliance on wood for fuel and building, and over-gazing and over-cutting mountain slopes. The loss of forests and the extension of agricultural areas is exacerbated by rapid population increase and the subsequent exploitation of resources.
Government Support
In an attempt to rebrand and recalibrate Nepali tourism, the government has introduced Tourism Vision 2020 to expand economic possibilities, improve employment in the tourism sector, and increase yearly international tourist arrivals in Nepal. However, it could not happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy and regulatory issues existing in the Nepali tourism space was exacerbated by the pandemic and brought many other problems to the surface. To combat these issues and mitigate for potential problems, the Nepali government should strategize towards attracting high-spending visitors, develop pilgrimage and national heritage sites, national parks, and conservation regions while keeping the environment and ecosystems in mind. In collaboration with international entrepreneurs, the government can develop Nepal as a world-class retirement destination. To maximize the potential for tourist growth and diversification, the government can encourage the private sector to make systematic and effective use of existing infrastructure to produce tourism packages that include cultural and religious sites, high Himalayan ranges, and locations of exceptional natural beauty.
Way Forward
The Nepali Himalayas has become a popular tourist destination for adventure sports due to their unique natural characteristics, which include the world’s highest mountain, biodiversity, and natural vistas. As a result, the tourist industry plays an important role in improving economic circumstances and garnering a major portion of national revenue. However, a significant increase in visitor arrivals in adventure tourism locations has caused environmental hazards in these places. If the government focuses its efforts on improving infrastructure development, streamlining bureaucracy to make the process of obtaining a license easier, strictly monitoring environmental impact, speeding up cleanup campaigns, ensuring law and order in the mountain region, and promoting tourism-friendly policies through a one-door system, Nepal can become a much more appealing destination for trekkers and climbers. To provide exceptional service to visitors, all stakeholders must work together.
Sayas D Joshi is a Master in Management Leadership from SMSU. He has an interest in topics related to sustainable environmental development. Sayas is an Aspiring beed at beed Management.
