Although earning from mountaineering has increased significantly even at a time when the tourist inflow into the country continued to decline, the state and concerned stakeholders have largely neglected the economic importance of the adventure tourism, said Dr Harka Gurung, a renowned geographer.
He also stressed on the need to study the economic aspects of mountaineering activities by sectors, as it was important to devise measures to promote more employment and encourage local economy for widespread of income from mountaineering activities.

Presenting a paper on 'Economics of Mountaineering in Nepal' at a program today, Dr Gurung observed that per capita expenditure is highest in mountaineering and its promotion means higher income with even lesser number of visitors. The average number of expeditions per year has increased progressively to 117 during 19991-2000 from 97 during 1981-1990. "However, employment generated from an expedition slid to 63 in 90s from 102 in 80s," he said. Dr Gurung urged the government to take up the issue seriously and devise measures to check the decline. Stating that various expenditures made by the climbers on support staff, porters, food and transport make up the most significant aspect of the mountaineering economics, he asked the government to announce measures to enable climbers spend more on these items than in royalty and other fees.
"This has become necessary as share of other expenditures has declined to around 78 per cent of total expenditure in recent years from 90 per cent previously," he said, further asking the government to encourage more expeditions instead of tampering these with higher royalty rate. According to figures issued on the occasion, the government earned a royalty of Rs 670.66 million from mountaineering expeditions during the 90s, which was a sharp increment over royalty earning of Rs 38 million recorded during the 80s. However, as the royalty amount entirely goes to the central exchequer, it has not been contributing to local development or benefiting people of areas where it is generated, said Dr Gurung. He urged the government to increase revenue share that it provides to districts for local development. Currently the government provides 30 per cent of this revenue to the districts where it is generated from. He further suggested for opening more peaks for climbing with priority to less-crowded ranges in the western part of the country to increase tourism revenue.

OTHER NEWS

• Sagarmatha Award given away: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sarbendra Nath Shukla presented Elizabeth Hawley, an American national, the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) Award of 2060 B.S. and Appa Sherpa a special award at a program organized here, recently. This is the first time the Sagarmatha National Award is being presented, and Hawley has been honored for her special contribution over a long time to the development of mountain tourism and promotion of mountaineering in Nepal. The award carries a purse of Rs. 100,000 and a letter of appreciation. Likewise, mountaineer Appa Sherpa was honored for his record thirteen ascents of Mt. Everest. His award carries a purse of Rs. 500,000. On the occasion, Minister Shukla gave away Rs. 120,000 as a special annual allowance to Angfuti Sherpa , widow of mountaineer Babu Chhiri Sherpa who climbed Mt. Everest l0 times, and Rs. 60, 000 as educational expenses to youngest Everest climber Temba Chhiri Sherpa.
  
  
• RNAC to add flights: Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation is to add one more flight on the Singapore - Kuala Lumpur sector from August 16. This will bring the number of RNAC flights on that sector to thrice a week. The third flight is being added to accommodate the growing number of passengers.
  
  
• Tourist arrival through Kankarbhitta rises: The flow of tourists entering the country through Kankarbhitta immigration office has increased significantly in the first five months of this year. During the period, 5,327 tourists have entered the country through this point while only 7,293 tourists had come through the office during the whole year last year. Bangladeshi tourists topped others with 2,527 visitors.
  
• Sita Air's Dornier grounded: Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has grounded Sita Air's Dornier Aircraft since Monday on the grounds that it failed to install Flight Data Recorder (FDR), one of the equipment that the authority had asked the airlines to install by July 20. According to sources at the CAAN, Sita Air was provided with a six-month concession period for the installation of some equipment on January 20. The 9N-AHB airline was to install FDR, High Frequency Radio and Ground Proximity System.
  
  
  

By Hari Shrestha, Resident Representative in Kathmandu