The greed has no end. 7000 rupees to trek to Everest and nobody checks where that money ends.
As we have seen at other sites where foreigners are extorted such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhu, Durbar Square, NOTHING happens that supports these places and NO ONE does any checks on where the money ends up.
The money we spend along trek goes to local people in shops, hotels and restaurants but all the fees goes to centralized organisations that are under no control at all
Yes it mysteriously disappeared from my first post
"“The foreigners will have to pay a fee of Rs 2,000 to the rural municipality office every time they enter Khumbu region from next month,” he added.
.....foreigners also have to buy Trekkers’ Information Management System cards from either NTB or TAAN paying at least US$ 20 (approx Rs 2,000) each to make an entry to Khumbu region for trekking or hiking. Besides, Sagarmatha National Park also charges each foreigner except SAARC country nationals of Rs 3,000 and 13% tax as entry fee to visit Mt Everest region.“The foreigners will have to pay a fee of Rs 2,000 to the rural municipality office every time they enter Khumbu region from next month,”
They actually want to replace Tims by this new tax, if you read the article, they talk about preventing officials from selling or enforcing Tims in the area. I guess Taan and the government will react somehow, let's wait a bit to see what happens. If each village in Nepal starts a local toll, tourism will become a nightmare. But if course in Belgium, France, Greece, ... and other European countries we are also continuously hit by new taxes.
If you read the article you would see that the LOCAL REGION want to replace the other fees but I don't think TAAN and Everest park will agree to that.
The new law is going to prove idiotic, if every municipality starts to collect local vehicle, business, entertainment and tourism taxes. Toll gates every 20 km. Of course hitting the rich tourists is easier than levying new taxes on businessmen, who sit in these committees thinking about new ways of milking the foreigners. The administrative center of Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality is in Chaurikharka, bit north of Lukla, so I suppose the tax will be collected there. This new municipality covers all the area and replaces the old village committees north from there, including Namche.
As each trekkers spends maybe an average of 40000 NRs while in Khumbu (actually practical minimum for 12 days of food and lodgings), this new tax might actually backfire.
"A ticket office has been set up in Lukla that is now charging “foreign” trekkers 2,000 rupees for entry into the Khumbu region."
https://www.thelongestwayhome.com/blog/nepal/local-nepal-government-imposes-extra-20-fee-on-everest-trekkers/?utm_content=bufferc7f23&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Info from October 1st 2017.
I went to tourism board for TIMS today, I didn't bring full document, so I have to go again tomorrow. But after that, my friend from a very big trekking company tell me not to buy TIMS. Encourage me to refuse to pay for TIMS when I reach the TIMS check counter.
They showed me an official announcement from local government of Everest area.
It's in Nepali, but it ask people refuse to pay for TIMS.
If TIMS really did what that say to do, I think TIMS is necessary, and more important than local tax.
But seems it's not, and I don't want to pay double.
But also not sure I show refuse to do it or not.