Mt Everest this year in a climbing season contributed around Rs 650 million to the national economy.
“Mt Everest alone has a contribution of Rs 649.115 million to the economy in a season this year,” said Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) immediate past president Ang Tshering Sherpa. According to him, mountaineering is the sector that could contribute more to the national coffer. However, the government has not developed any special programmes for the development of the sector, he said.
Government should focus more on developing attractive and economy packages for the mountaineers apart from infrastructure development with proper plans, he said, adding that tourists’ image of Nepal is an adventure destination and they prefer mountaineering rather than sightseeing in a city.
Even the Nepal Mountaineering Association peaks have huge economic contribution, he said, “The NMA peaks during the spring season contributed some Rs 518.281 million.”
NMA manages 33 peaks ranging from 5,587 metres to 6,654 metres, whereas Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation manages peaks above 7,000 metres to 8,000 metres. According to NMA, out of total expedition to Mt Everest during one season this year, 60 per cent of the climbers were Nepalis while 40 per cent were foreigners. However, on other expedition peaks, 38 per cent of the climbers were Nepalis while 62 per cent were foreigners.
Similarly, Tibet-side expedition had 17 teams with 139 foreign climbers among which 46 were foreigners and others were Chinese and Tibetans.
According to Sherpa, during spring, the other Expedition Peaks of Nepal (beside Mt Everest) saw a total of 465·foreign climbers with approximately 8,631 porter loads to respective Base Camps and 5,610 porter loads from Base Camp back down to road head or airport. From 1953 to 2010 a total of 5,078 ascents have been made to Mt Everest by 3,167 individuals, whereas the number went up this spring to 5,584 ascents by 3,448 climbers.
UIAA to meet in Kathmandu
KATHMANDU: General Assembly of Union of International Alpine Association (UIAA) this year is going meet in Nepal on October 5 – 9. The UIAA meeting organised in Italy on October 5-10, 2010 decided to hold next General Assembly in Nepal. Some 170 representatives from different alpine clubs all over the world are taking participate in the assembly. General Assembly of UIAA in Beijing, China on November 5- 8, 2010 decided to hold its General Assembly on October 9 in Nepal. NMA hopes that international gathering of huge alpinists from all over the world will definitely help promote Nepal. (Source:THT)
