Crackdown on guides

Nepal allows climbing on 414 of its 1,300-plus peaks, including Qomolangma, known in the West as Mount Everest.

More than 106,000 foreigners visited Nepal in 2012 for trekking and mountaineering, according to government data.

The government, which came under fire last week for failing to issue timely weather warnings, now seems determined to crack down on the "freelance tourism" of unlicensed and inexperienced guides who lead treks for as little as $10 a day.

The tourism ministry has decided to register and track the movements of more than 10,000 Nepali men who work as porters and guides, and make it mandatory for tourists to seek permission from district authorities before starting out on any trek.

Suman Pandey of Explore Himalaya, a company that specializes in organizing treks and climbing snowy peaks, said the government's plan was an "absurd reaction" to the disaster.

"The government will be committing a blunder if they start limiting the entry of backpackers. Even if the backpackers live and travel across the country on less than $15 a day, they still contribute to our economy," he said.

Reuters

(China Daily 10/21/2014 page11)