Expedition companies are euphoric as mountaineers are flocking to Nepal this spring to ascend peaks after peace returned to the mountainous country following the end of the decade-old conflict.

So far, 57 expeditions have received permission to scale different mountains, of which 22 are for Mt. Qomolangma, Tourism Division of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said here on Friday.

The number has already exceeded the total number of expedition permissions that the government issued during the whole of last spring season, the ministry said. The government granted permission to 53 expedition teams last year, including 17 permits to ascend Mt. Qomolangma.

Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association said the publicity of the proposed Olympics expedition on Mt. Qomolangma scheduled for next year has pushed up interest of adventure tourists to scale the world's highest peak.

A preparatory team for Olympics Expedition-2008 is attempting to conquer the Mt. Qomolangma summit from China's north side this season, which includes around 250 members.

Mountaineers are considered to be high-spending tourists, as they have to spend huge royalties for climb permits, and stay for longer periods.

The trekkers and mountaineers make up around 20 percent of the total tourist arrivals in Nepal. Tourist arrivals grew by a staggering 32 percent to 82,857 in the first three months of 2007. And mid-March to May is the ideal season for climbing the Himalayas.