Helicopter companies operating flights to Annapurna Base Camp are now required to pay a fee of Rs. 10,000 for each landing, as part of a newly introduced regulation by the Annapurna Rural Municipality. This decision is intended to regulate and collect tourism fees for helicopter flights, which has become necessary due to the increasing number of commercial flights in the area. The regulation, which was initially formulated in 2079 BS, has now been amended and published in the official gazette on Falgun 1.
According to the new rule, companies wishing to operate commercial flights to the Annapurna Base Camp must first register with the municipality and pay an additional Rs. 5,000 registration fee. The municipality will only grant operational rights to companies that are officially approved by them, allowing these companies to fly to the base camp year-round. However, helicopter companies providing rescue flights will be exempt from the landing fee, which reflects the priority of emergency operations.
Last fiscal year, around 270 commercial helicopter flights were conducted in the Annapurna Base Camp area, demonstrating a significant demand for air transport services in the region. Prior to this regulation, helicopter companies obtained flight permits from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) by paying Rs. 3,000 per flight.
Passengers traveling by helicopter were also required to pay a separate entry fee to ACAP. However, ACAP has not maintained proper records for rescue flights, which has raised concerns about tracking and accountability. Dr. Rabin Kandel, Chief of ACAP, acknowledged that while rescue flights should ideally be reported, there has been a lack of structured data collection in the past. Efforts are now underway to establish better record-keeping practices.
Tourists visiting the Annapurna Conservation Area are required to pay an entry fee. Tourists from SAARC countries must pay Rs. 1,000 per person, while tourists from other countries must pay Rs. 3,000 per person. With the introduction of the municipality’s additional landing fee, some helicopter companies have expressed dissatisfaction with the new costs.
Despite these concerns, Simrik Air has already signed an agreement with the municipality, agreeing to pay the required fees for operating flights to the base camp, as confirmed by the Chairperson of the Rural Municipality, Bishnu KC. As part of the new regulation, the municipality has emphasized that only companies approved and registered with them will be allowed to operate flights to the base camp.
Unregistered companies, if they wish to conduct flights, will face a penalty of Rs. 20,000 per flight. This policy aims to discourage unauthorized flight operations and ensure proper oversight. Additionally, the municipality has decided to allocate 3% of the revenue collected from the helicopter landing fees to support the operation of the Tourism Information Center, while the remaining funds will be directed toward the development of tourism infrastructure in Ward No. 11.
To further regulate the number of helicopter flights, the municipality has imposed a limit of 12 flights per day to the Annapurna region. This decision was made in response to concerns from trekkers and wildlife conservationists who reported disturbances caused by excessive flight operations. The local authorities believe that limiting the number of flights will help mitigate the negative impact of noise and pollution on trekkers and the surrounding ecosystem. Bishnu KC also mentioned that the policy takes into account the impact of climate change, recognizing that reduced flights can help lower environmental degradation in the region.
In order to enforce these new regulations, a facilitation committee has been formed, led by the municipality chairperson. The committee will be responsible for monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the rules. Additionally, the municipality plans to deploy one staff member each at Pokhara Airport and Annapurna Base Camp to ensure compliance with the flight regulations.
Despite the municipality’s outreach efforts, only one out of the 14 helicopter companies has registered for the new program. According to Bishnu Prasad Pokharel, the Chief Administrative Officer, the municipality issued two public notices and sent letters to all 14 companies, but only one company has taken the step to officially register.
The unregistered companies are now required to pay the Rs. 20,000 per flight penalty. The municipality will collect the necessary fees based on the flight permits issued by ACAP, which has already recorded the flights conducted in the area. The municipality has coordinated with ACAP to ensure that the fee collection is transparent and accurate. Monitoring staff will be deployed to prevent any manipulation of flight numbers, as Pokharel emphasized that no discrepancies would be tolerated.
With these new regulations, the municipality aims to generate an estimated annual revenue of Rs. 150 million from helicopter flight fees. This revenue will be used to enhance the local tourism infrastructure and support the ongoing development of the Annapurna region, ensuring a sustainable and organized approach to tourism in the area.
