KATHMANDU: Nepalese lawmakers have proposed significantly tightening the qualifications required to climb Mount Everest, including requiring climbers to prove experience on other high-altitude peaks, as the Integrated Tourism Bill enters parliamentary committee scrutiny.
A total of 58 lawmakers have registered 263 amendments to the bill, which will undergo clause-by-clause review before returning to Parliament for final debate and voting.
Although the proposals vary, many share a common goal: requiring climbers to demonstrate experience on lower peaks before attempting the world’s highest mountain.
Lawmakers Shishir Khadka and Nitima Bhandari Karki have proposed issuing Everest permits only to climbers who have successfully climbed at least one mountain above 7,000 metres and two mountains above 8,000 metres in Nepal.
They also want all commercial mountaineering activities, expedition promotion and marketing, and the sale of expedition packages to be handled exclusively by trekking agencies registered and licensed in Nepal. Foreign companies would not be permitted to directly sell or operate such expeditions or packages.
The lawmakers have further proposed that the government determine the carrying capacity of each mountain before opening it for climbing, taking into account physical capacity, favourable weather windows and potential congestion.
Another proposal would allow climbing permits within prescribed quotas to be auctioned, with permits awarded to the highest bidders above a government-set minimum price.
Lawmaker Ganesh Karki has proposed requiring Everest permit applicants to provide documentary proof of successfully climbing at least one mountain above 7,000 metres and one above 8,000 metres in Nepal.
Ganesh Bahadur Bishwakarma has proposed mandatory mountaineering training and medical certification for all applicants, along with proof of a successful ascent of at least one mountain above 7,000 metres in Nepal.
Dhananjaya Regmi has proposed requiring climbers seeking permits for peaks above 8,000 metres to first demonstrate successful ascents of at least two mountains above 6,000 metres and one above 7,000 metres in Nepal.
Several lawmakers have also proposed extending the 7,000-metre experience requirement to all 8,000-metre peaks, not just Everest. Another proposal would require climbers and expedition members to complete the full acclimatisation process in Nepal before attempting a summit.
The amendments also seek to strengthen regulation of expedition operations. Bodha Narayan Shrestha has proposed that government-appointed liaison officers receive salaries, allowances, accommodation, food and other benefits from the state rather than having those costs covered by expedition teams.
Other proposals call for designated areas for base camps and higher camps, as well as integrated mountaineering management checkpoints headed by a Nepali Army officer and staffed by representatives of relevant government agencies.
Adventure tourism activities such as paragliding, skydiving, heli-skiing and ultralight flying during climbing expeditions would be restricted to mountains below 6,000 metres.
The amendments also propose creating a permanent Tourism Crisis Management and Recovery Fund to support the industry during pandemics, natural disasters and other crises. The fund could provide wage support, concessional refinancing and soft loans, financed in part by a fixed share of tourism taxes or royalties.
Several proposals seek to strengthen protections for Nepali mountaineering workers. All personnel involved in mountaineering operations, including Sirdars, mountain guides, support staff, cooks, videographers and photographers, would be required to be Nepali citizens.
Above base camp, climbing support workers would be prohibited from carrying more than 20 kilograms of equipment or supplies.
Workers would also have the right to stop participating in an expedition if weather conditions become dangerous, their health deteriorates or their safety is at risk, without facing wage deductions, dismissal or other employment penalties.
Insurance requirements would also be strengthened. The proposals call for mandatory cashless medical and rescue insurance meeting international standards, with minimum coverage of Rs50 million for death, Rs20 million for medical treatment and Rs10 million for search and rescue. Parliament would review the coverage amounts every three years.
Each expedition would also be required to obtain insurance from a licensed Nepali insurer covering personal accidents, medical treatment, search and rescue, and the management and transportation of mortal remains.
Environmental measures include banning single-use plastics in mountaineering areas and introducing a zero-waste policy for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
Expedition teams could also be required to digitally track or QR-code every item taken onto the mountain, record equipment transported above base camp, and weigh and certify all equipment and human waste brought back before returning it to base camp.
The amendments also propose banning drones and helicopters above 6,000 metres without prior government approval, except for national security and other authorised purposes.
Additional proposals would require mountaineering workers to belong to recognised associations and make licensed guides mandatory on designated high-risk, protected, Himalayan and remote trekking routes.
The bill also seeks tighter regulation of digital tourism platforms. Online tourism service providers offering booking, marketing, listing or facilitation services in Nepal would be required to register with the Department of Tourism.
Foreign digital tourism platforms operating in Nepal would have to appoint local representatives, register for tax, establish consumer grievance mechanisms and regularly submit business reports. Licensed Nepali tourism providers could also be barred from using unregistered digital platforms.
The National Assembly passed the Integrated Tourism Bill on February 9. The legislation aims to diversify and systematically regulate Nepal’s tourism sector while strengthening safety, environmental and governance standards in mountaineering. - Kathmandu Post/ANN
