China to Invest $14 Million Into Tibet to Develop Mount Everest Tourism

Right on the border between Nepal and China, there is a town called Gangkar.  It is unclear if it is a part of Nepal or a part of China.  For China, however, it is not going to make any difference, as they are planning on developing the town into a tourist attraction resort especially for those people who wish to climb Mount Everest.

The Center for International Mountaineering, as it is known, will cover 84,000 square meters and is planned to be open sometime in 2019.

The facility is not only planning for the mountaineering tourist but alpine skiers and paragliders as well.  The town at present has 6,360 residents.  It sits at 4,300 meters above sea level and is surrounded by picturesque snowy mountains.

Many mountaineers already use this town as their base when trying to ascend the mountains from the northern Chinese side.  Many people are excited about this venture as it will make planning and setting off up the mountains a lot easier for them.  It is good to know that one day help and good medical care will be that much closer.

With the facility built they are hoping to expand tourism for the town further, with plans for a museum, accommodation, garages, rental facilities, and restaurants to quickly follow.

Income for the economy of Gangkar will skyrocket, especially with a medical center, travel agencies, and a helicopter rescue base being talked about as well.

How much does it cost at present to climb Everest? If you book a trip to ascend Mount Everest from China, it will cost you $49,500, but if you start in Nepal and collect the Everest permit for ascending the mountain it will cost you $10,725 per person.

As you can see the Nepalese tourist industry is worth a significant amount to both China and Nepal. It has been estimated to be worth a staggering $333 million a year to Nepal, of which at present they are only collecting a tiny $3 million.

It will be interesting to watch over the next few years to see if the country of Nepal will actually make any money at all on this Chinese venture.  Some locals have said that the rescue services that the facility will be providing in cooperation with Nepalese authorities will be very good, as air rescue is needed in the increasingly popular area.