‘Dollar fare’ is why foreign tourists avoid Karnali and Sudurpashchim

The recent attention on Api Himal Rural Municipality in the Sudurpaschim Province, highlighted by its inclusion in the government's work plan, brings a much-needed spotlight to Nepal's remote and underdeveloped regions. At The Kathmandu Post, we believe that showcasing such areas is crucial for balanced national development, but we must also confront the stark realities that hinder progress.

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Api Himal Rural Municipality is the most remote municipality in the Sudurpashchim Province. However, nature has also provided it with the most beautiful gifts. It is home to several mountains, including Api Himal, which is the highest peak in the province. In terms of religious tourism, we have the Surma Sarovar, the Surma Bhawani temple, and other pilgrimage sites. We possess a rich Maldeshi culture, which is a unique combination and integration of the Shauka community’s culture and the Khas culture. Therefore, we introduce Api Himal as an extremely important and beautiful municipality from religious, cultural and tourism perspectives. Our objective is to make these natural resources and heritage the foundation for the prosperity of our local unit.

Bhakta Singh Bohara, chair of Api Himal Rural Municipality, eloquently introduces his region as a place of immense natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, boasting mountains like Api Himal and sacred sites like Surma Sarovar. However, the description is tempered by the undeniable fact that its headquarters lacks road access, and many areas remain without electricity. This juxtaposition underscores the immense potential that remains largely untapped due to basic infrastructural deficits.

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We have worked with the goal of developing Api Himal into a premier tourist destination for Sudurpashchim and an attractive destination for all of Nepal. We have developed trekking trails, routes, maps, tea houses and homestays. Consequently, over the past three years, nearly 4,000 to 5,000 tourists have visited the Api Himal Base Camp and other religious or natural sites annually. Last year alone, more than 5,000 tourists visited. Most of these are domestic tourists, with only a small number of foreign visitors.

The conversation around the ‘dollar fare’ system is particularly pertinent. While the government aims to boost tourism, this pricing mechanism creates a significant barrier for foreign visitors, forcing them to weigh the cost of travel against other expenses. This is a critical issue that needs addressing if we are to truly open up regions like Api Himal to international tourism. From our perspective, the government's initiative to make 97 mountains royalty-free is a positive step, but it must be complemented by policies that make remote destinations accessible and affordable for a wider range of travelers, ensuring that the benefits of tourism reach the local communities who are its custodians.

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At the initiation of the Api Himal Rural Municipality, the Nepal Government, through the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Tourism, has made 97 mountains in the Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces royalty-free for two years. This has encouraged domestic and foreign climbers to start visiting.