The government has announced plans to replace the flat US$500 charge for a 10-day stay with a daily US$50 rate, a shift that tourism entrepreneurs believe will make the destination more accessible and help drive the local economy.
The government has announced plans to replace the flat US$500 charge for a 10-day stay with a daily US$50 rate, a shift that tourism entrepreneurs believe will make the destination more accessible and help drive the local economy.
“We have been lobbying to reduce the permit fee for a long time, and this is a welcome move,” said Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal. “Previously, it would have taken 10 days to trek to Upper Mustang, but now it’s accessible by road and can be done in a few days. So, the hefty US$500 fee seems outdated.”
While the cabinet decided to reduce the entry fee last week, the rule will go into effect only after immigration regulations are amended. The Department of Immigration is still waiting for formal confirmation from the government, according to an official.

A reflection of the city itself, Bangkok’s gastronomic scene is vibrant and multifaceted, spanning beloved street food, like Jay Fai’s crab omelette and Thipsamai’s pad…
The deaths of 72 captive tigers at a private park popular with tourists in northern Thailand have renewed scrutiny of a lucrative industry that campaigners…
It is 10.30am and I am drifting on a kayak just off the coast of Hoi An, Vietnam. To my right, I see fishermen gliding…
Vietnam has kicked off the new tourism year by shattering records. According to the national tourism authority, VNAT, almost 2.5 million international visitors arrived in…
Jet fuel shortages and surging prices are forcing flight cancellations across the Asia-Pacific, a squeeze that could intensify after the United States began controlling oil…