The Passenger Movement Charge is a flat fee bundled into air fares. It is levied on nearly all departing passengers over the age of 11, whether nationals or visitors in Australia. Only airline staff, foreign servicepeople, and unintentional arrivals in Australia are exempt.

The cost currently stands at AUD $70 (around €43) but will go up by AUD $10 to hit AUD $80 in January 2026. The over 14% increase comes amid concerns over fuel costs in the aviation sector, which many fear will be passed onto customers, adding to a chilling effect on the international travel market.

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Graeme Hughes, an Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University, remarked on the impact of the per-person increase on larger families, and told Explore that the speed of price increases “stings.” He noted: “We only just saw the rate climb from $60 to $70 in July 2024, so we are looking at a 33 per cent jump in the cost of leaving the country in under three years.”

Australia’s tourism sector has not welcomed the move, noting that, though budget papers predict an injection of AUD $755 million over the next five years thanks to the tax, the federal government has not yet revealed how those additional funds will be used. The country’s ongoing use of increasingly old-fashioned incoming passenger arrival cards and airport upgrades are two areas that critics say require investment.

Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) said the budget as a whole “reduces support for an industry that is still stabilising post pandemic, and facing growing pressure around traveller affordability, aviation costs and booking conversion as a result of the Middle East conflict.” ATEC managing director Peter Shelley pointed out that planned cuts to Tourism Australia funding put at jeopardy “Australia’s ability to convert travellers in an increasingly cautious and price-sensitive long-haul travel environment.”

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Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has issued a statement slamming the price hike as “yet another burden on travellers at a time when the tourism community is working hard to overcome challenges at home and overseas.”

Meanwhile, the move has “blindsided” the national Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF), which pointed out there had been no prior industry consultation and no transparency over the benefits a tax increase would bring. TTF CEO Margy Osmond told SBS News: “It is not good enough to just slap an additional tax on the travelling public and the tourism industry without improving the conditions that those travellers will be experiencing when they cross the border.”

However, Trade and Tourism Ministry spokesperson Don Farrell dismissed concerns over the impact on consumers. “Australia’s experience has been that relatively small increases to the PMC do not have a measurable effect on international visitation,” he said, adding: “Following the last $10 increase in the PMC, short-term international arrivals increased by 5 percent year-on-year, rising from 7.97 million to 8.40 million visitors.” Although no precise use for the money was given, Farrell also said the government “remains committed to ongoing modernisation of the border.”

L’article Leaving Australia? Travellers to pay more under 2027 tax rise est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Donkey and pony rides have long operated on the British coast, taking visitors, old and young, along the sands on the backs of gentle four-legged friends. But authorities at Coney Beach in Porthcawl, South Wales, have now extended a ban on dogs along the seashore to all animals, meaning that the seashore’s donkey rides will become a relic of the past.

Behind every holiday ride is a donkey or mule forced to carry the weight – often in the heat, often without rest, and often when they’re already injured or exhausted.
They don’t choose this. They endure it.
Leave them out of your holiday plans. Don’t ride them.#worlddonkeyday pic.twitter.com/Y6Ni3r4HUR

— PETA UK (@PETAUK) May 8, 2026

Summertime rules applying to dogs between 1 May and 30 September will, from now on, cover all creatures, effectively excluding the possibility of granting a licence for seasonal donkey or pony riding at Coney Beach, Bridgend Council said.

The move comes amid major regeneration plans for the Welsh seafront that include 1,100 new homes and an overhaul of the public space, as well as a new hotel development and a promenade. The town’s Coney Beach Amusement Park, which opened in 1918, closed its gates for the last time in October 2025 as part of the changes afoot in the area.

Critics of seaside donkey rides have argued for years that the practice is outdated and is comparable to circuses in violating animal welfare and exploiting creatures by making them work long hours on hot and crowded beaches. The sight of donkeys and ponies being ridden in this way is upsetting to visitors and does not project a positive image of the resorts that host them, they say.

But others defend the activity, claiming that visitors expect such facilities and enjoy the old-fashioned pleasures and distinct character they provide. David Morgan, 74, from Newton, near Porthcawl, told the BBC the decision risked “ripping the heart” out of the community, and stakeholder Jay Bateman, whose family have run a donkey-riding business at Coney Beach for decades, said his livelihood was being taken away.

Meanwhile, the council has insisted it recognises “the importance of traditional seaside attractions” and intends to manage the area in alignment with “the final masterplan proposals and long-term ambitions for the area.”

@robynandthepony Summer Donkey Beach Ride, Porthcawl 2021 #donkey #donkeyride #horsesoftiktok #horsegirl #horse #horseriding ♬ Summer – Calvin Harris

The authority is currently “reviewing the expressions of interest that we have received for providing all-new seasonal activities at Coney Beach,” it said, adding that “residents and visitors should look out for some exciting announcements about a wide range of new activities and stalls in the near future.”

Coney Beach is not the only UK beachfront to be losing what some say are iconic attractions. Dreamland Margate, an amusement park on the Kent coast, announced earlier in 2026 that its historic, grade II-listed Scenic Railway was set to close permanently. Nonetheless, elsewhere, Margate’s seaside character is being reinstated with the advent of development plans for the Nayland Rock Hotel, a now-derelict establishment that once welcomed stars like Charlie Chaplin and Mick Jagger, set to be turned into apartments, short-term rentals, and a restaurant.

L’article Traditional seaside donkey rides banned from Welsh beach after 100 years est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

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Destination managers at the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority are now heavily promoting a scheme that has been in place for five years, encouraging visitors to support local communities and conservation actions during their stay. 

Known as the “Mālama Hawaiʻi” programme, the initiative brings together “opportunities for visitors to pay it forward, like beach clean-ups, native tree planting, and more,” the GoHawai‘i website says, urging guests to “Engage in some of our volunteer opportunities … and in exchange, experience Hawaiʻi on a much deeper and connected level.” The scheme comes amid much soul-searching among stakeholders and lovers of Hawaiʻi after a devastating wildfire in 2023 and years of what some claimed was overdevelopment and a lack of care towards native and resident islanders. Lawmakers have since raised tourist accommodation and cruise taxes to raise funds to tackle the effects of climate change and tourism.

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Mālama means “to give back” and the website allows holidaymakers to browse a range of volunteering tasks, filtering them by dates, activity type, and cause, as well as the sort of person who will be undertaking the good deed (e.g. kids or couples) and their own aims (e.g. meeting people or getting exercise). At the time of writing there were 697 activities to choose from on Maui, 341 on Kauaʻi, 203 on Oʻahu, and 152 on Hawaiʻi.

Activities are wide-ranging, and vary from catering to physical labour to office work. They include teaching people, helping animals, restoring trails, and assisting with farms. The programme has been hailed by Caroline Anderson, interim CEO and president of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, speaking to Travel + Leisure, as a way to make it “easy for visitors to participate in enriching volunteer experiences, many of which you can only find in Hawai‘i.”

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While some of the tasks might be unique to the islands, the concept of inviting holidaymakers to contribute their time and energy to sustainable causes is not. Other destinations have also been leading the way with responsible tourism and responding to consumer demand for authentic experiences and community involvement. Copenhagen and Berlin have launched visitor reward schemes for green behaviours and participation in social projects, giving tourists who arrive by train or do litter-picking free museum entries and refreshments at cafés.

Likewise, Travel Tomorrow reported on Fiji’s “Loloma Hour” in 2025—a scheme named for the Fijian word for “generosity through love”, that invites a nationwide commitment by resorts and activity providers to include guests in the sustainability activities they champion. All it involves is asking visitors to give at least one hour of vacation time to caring for the land, the ocean, and “each other.”

L’article Hawaii invites holidaymakers to give back to environment and communities est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The tax will not be applied all at once but will instead be introduced gradually. From October 2026 until 1 July 2027, visitors will only pay the charge for the first two nights of their stay. After that date, the tax will apply to a maximum of five nights per visit. Cruise passengers will also be included, although their contribution will only come into force from July 2027. This phased approach is designed to ease the transition for both tourists and the local tourism sector.

@daremapp Explore Vigo like never before! Here are the must-see places you can't miss: Jardín das Avenidas: An ideal green space to relax in the heart of the city. Church of Santiago: A historical treasure full of art and spirituality. Port of Vigo: The maritime heartbeat of the city, with its life and breathtaking views. Iglesia de la Victoria: Architectural beauty that tells stories of centuries past. Pazo Quiñones de León: A palace of art, history and lush gardens. Casco Viejo: Charming streets, full of history and tradition. Rande Bridge: Majestic structure that connects Vigo with the Atlantic and offers spectacular views. Vigo has it all! Are you ready to experience it? #Vigo #DescubreVigo #RinconesDeVigo #ViajeVigo ♬ sonido original – DareMapp

The amount visitors pay will depend on where they stay. Guests in five-star hotels will pay the highest rate of €2 per night, while those staying in three- and four-star hotels will be charged €1.60. Visitors choosing one- or two-star accommodation, as well as cruise passengers, will pay €1.20 per night. The lowest rate of €0.80 will apply to hostels, campsites, tourist apartments and rural accommodation. This system means that the cost is linked to the level of comfort and services provided.

Not everyone will have to pay the new tax. Residents of Vigo will be exempt, as well as children and people with disabilities. There are also plans to allow exemptions for visitors travelling for health reasons or those taking part in certain social programmes. Local authorities have indicated that some of these details are still being finalised.  

Vigo is a popular destination in the northwest of Spain, known for its coastal setting and lively atmosphere. The city offers access to dozens of beaches and is close to the Cíes Islands, a protected natural area. One of its beaches, Rodas Beach, has previously been described as one of the best in the world. Vigo is also famous for its large-scale Christmas light displays, which attract visitors from across Europe each year. In addition, the city has a strong reputation for fresh seafood thanks to its busy fishing port.

@visitspain Paradise off the Galician coast Crystal waters, golden beaches, and untouched nature await at Islas Cíes. #VisitSpain #ThinkyouknowSpain #SpainSustainable #Galicia #Pontevedra ♬ sonido original – visitSpain

Tourism plays a major role in the local economy, especially through cruise travel. The port of Vigo regularly welcomes large ships carrying thousands of passengers at the same time. This can put pressure on public spaces, transport and the local environment, particularly during peak periods. By introducing a tourist tax, the city hopes to better manage these impacts. The additional income could also support maintenance and improvements in areas frequently used by visitors.

The move follows a broader trend seen across Spain and beyond. Cities such as Barcelona have already introduced or increased tourist taxes in recent years. In some cases, visitors pay both regional and local charges, which can significantly increase the total cost of a stay. Similar measures are being adopted in other parts of Europe as destinations look for ways to deal with overtourism. In this context, Vigo is becoming one of the latest cities to introduce a system that asks visitors to contribute directly to the places they visit.  

L’article Spanish port city Vigo to introduce tourist tax from October 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Designed by Baccio Bandinelli and portraying mythological figures, the Fountain of Neptune (also known as “Biancone” or “great white,” thanks to its luminous marble) stands in Piazza della Signoria. It was commissioned by the last Duke of Florence, Cosimo I de’ Medici, in 1559 and was meant to celebrate his gift of clean water to the city. It also featured in the marriage of his son and heir to Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. Now, it has been a part of some wedding nuptials once again, much to the displeasure of authorities.

Only restored in 2019 at a cost of €1.5 million, the fountain was damaged again on 18 April 2026, allegedly by a woman who, police said, climbed over railings, stood on its edge, and made her way onto one of the horse’s legs. Officers removed her from the masterpiece immediately. She told them she had been trying to “touch the statue’s private parts as part of a sort of pre-wedding challenge.”

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Experts from the Palazzo Vecchio Workshop have assessed the harm to the monument as “minor but significant,” with impacts on the horses’ hooves and a frieze that the woman held on to in an attempt to avoid falling into the water. The fountain now faces repairs estimated at a cost of €5,000 euros, according to the police statement, while the woman is now due to face judicial authorities, accused of defacing the country’s artistic and architectural heritage.

Long an object of curiosity and public antics, the fountain has previously suffered a broken hand after another 2005 incident where a tourist scaled its heights. Again, in 2023, a 22-year-old German tourist damaged it as he posed for photographs with the Roman sea-god. In the 16^th century, city-dwellers used it to wash themselves in, spoiling its railings. And in 1848, during political unrest in Florence over Italy’s unification, it was struck by cannonballs. Balls of a different description appear to have been part of the most recent problem.

Italy, perhaps thanks to its dolce vita reputation, regularly features in reports about irresponsible tourism. In 2023, Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain was breached by a visitor wanting to fill a water bottle. It now costs €2 to even approach the monument. A gondola in Venice capsized in the same year, when its passengers refused to stop taking selfies. Even natural assets cannot escape: in 2024, in a self-defeating protest about the negative effects of overtourism, an ancient rock in the Dolomites was graffitied with an anti-tourism slogan: “Tourists Go Home.” It remains to be seen whether visitors will prove they can behave themselves in 2026.

L’article Bachelorette accused of damaging Florence fountain with attempt to touch Neptune’s privates est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Online footage revealing tourists in India shouting and crowding around tigers led to a Supreme Court ruling in November 2025 that has banned mobile phones from some of the country’s most beloved tiger reserves. Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve, both in Rajasthan, have since introduced rules forbidding visitors from carrying their devices with them on safari.

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Similarly, Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism has announced new standards for tour operators and restrictions on tourists approaching animals, following viral clips of tourists rushing to photograph wildebeest at a river crossing. “All visitors must remain in their vehicles except in designated areas,” the ministry said. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano plans to increase enforcement through ranger numbers at sensitive spots, pointing out that “Visitor safety and wildlife protection are paramount,” and adding: “Preventing dangerous interactions safeguards both lives and conservation integrity.”

And in Svalbard, new regulations now restrict wildlife watching cruises to a distance of 300 to 500 metres away from polar bears, depending on the season.

The balance between giving tourists the experiences and memories they think they are paying for, and ensuring animals are protected, is becoming more difficult to achieve, stakeholders say, partly due to the growth of outdoor tourism and visitor behaviours driven by the desire to post images online that will generate clicks and content.

Safari-goers once were happy simply to witness rare creatures in their natural habitat, or they brought with them long-lens cameras and were able to take photographs without encroaching on animals’ space. This writer has done just that in Africa’s Okavango Delta. While I was lucky enough to safely encounter hippos, lions, elephants, and water buffalo, operators at that time were clear that there was no guarantee of seeing any animals at all, and that the whole ecosystem was as important as the “big five” species.

But today, tour operators increasingly describe visitors who ignore warnings, try to take selfies, and approach animals for a better angle. Their geotagged posts tell others where the animals are, drawing more crowds. One recent visitor to South Africa told Travel Tomorrow that the small safari lodge she stayed at had managed three years with no black rhino poaching, partly thanks to a policy forbidding guests from geotagging their photos.

@safaricoderafrica Here’s why safari rules exist. We were in an amazing spot to see this elephant, but he felt we were crowding him. The signs? Flapping ears, shaking head, a mock charge. Our guide, instead of panicking, used a simple light flash to momentarily distract and confuse him, giving us space to reverse. 3 Things to remember on Safari: 1⃣ If the ears go out, back off. 2⃣ Never stand up or make sudden movements. 3⃣ Your guide knows more than your camera does. Safe for us, safe for the elephant. This is how it’s done. Keywords: #safaritips #wildlifeeducation #elephantfacts #safetyfirst #travelguide ♬ original sound – Safari Coder Africa

However, the same safari-goer, who spoke anonymously to Travel Tomorrow, witnessed some poor behaviour from fellow visitors, with teenage children who “deliberately faked coughs to try to disturb resting cheetahs.” The kids were split up into separate vehicles by the organisers on the next trip. Even adult women guests “displayed no interest in seeing birds, only elephants, and wandered off from the group, despite instructions not to.”

The advent of mobile technology also means that the operators themselves can cause problems. They are able to share the locations of groups of animals at the press of a button, meaning jeep drivers keen to fulfil their remit of getting visitors up close and personal with the wild, all converge on the same places, bringing large numbers of vehicles, people, and noise, and preventing animals’ ability to slink quietly away.

It’s a delicate line to tread. Spreading the message about how beautiful biodiversity can be and promoting conservation are important aspects of wildlife tourism. But as Sharad Kumar Vats, CEO of Nature Safari India, told the BBC, “when there is no tiger, there will be no tiger tourism.”

L’article Wildlife destinations tighten tourist rules amid rising threats to endangered species est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In an effort to deal with social faux-pas such as littering—with which the city has a growing problem—the “carrot not stick” concept aims to encourage tourists to get involved in local social projects, litter-picking, or contributions to community spaces. In exchange for their engagement, visitors will receive rewards such as free experiences or entry at participating museums, and reduced prices or treats at restaurants and cafés.

The “BerlinPay” scheme borrows heavily from an idea implemented in Copenhagen in recent years. “CopenPay” incentivises responsible or sustainable tourism, such as using public transport, with rewards offered by local stakeholders. According to a survey undertaken by destination manager Wonderful Copenhagen, since the introduction of the programme in 2024, 70% of visitors to the Danish capital have taken part in environmentally beneficial actions.

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Berlin, a city that spent €13.1 million on cleaning in 2025, is hoping for a similar impact. The first year of its scheme will focus on the German capital’s waterways in particular, where problem littering covers a spectrum from the illegal dumping of bulky waste to flicking cigarette butts into the open.

Similar schemes have been implemented in Fiji, where visitors are invited to “give back” one hour of “Loloma time” to the community. Hawai’i has mooted the same with a “only a stranger for a day” concept, arguing that tourists increasingly want to feel a part of the places they visit, and that participating in good deeds triggers feel-good hormones and deeper connections.

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Critics point out that people go on holiday to relax and escape obligations, as well as highlighting the role that residents, not visitors, should play in keeping their hometowns clean. But there remains some emphasis on local responsibility too in the approach Berlin is taking. It is targeting cigarette butt culprits with fines that have been increased more than three-fold to a minimum of €250, going up to €3,000 in some cases. Fly tipping can attract fines of up to €11,000, or €15,000 if the waste is toxic. More money is being spent on staffing to catch offenders too.

And of course, please don’t forget: you still pay the city tax on your hotel stay. So first you pay, then you clean. Sounds like a great deal. Or not? Judge yourself! #BerlinPay

— Kat_Concu (@ConcuFdp) April 15, 2026

Advocates of the BerlinPay programme point out data from Copenhagen proving what Hawai’i and Fiji say: that visitors do in fact demonstrate an appetite to do good deeds and connect with hosts and destinations while on holiday. “When people are on holiday, they are more open to new ideas,” said Rikke Holm Petersen, head of communications and behavioural research at Wonderful Copenhagen. Over 30,000 people have participated in responsible travel actions in Copenhagen thanks to the programme—and local stakeholders are seeing an uptick in spending. Bike rentals went up 59% in the wake of the scheme.

L’article Berlin rewards responsible visitors instead of imposing tourist taxes and fines est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The eight pools in the village of Oshino Hakkai at the foot of the country’s highest peak offer scenic views and reflections featuring the volcano’s iconic form. They are fed by an underground reservoir of Mount Fuji’s meltwater and historically followers of the Fuji-ko faith, who worship the peak, bathed there in a purification ritual before climbing it. The waters were also once said by locals to bring insight into moral dilemmas.

Now, though, they are dominated by tourists who have imported coin-tossing customs that they believe bring good luck. The pond beds are said to be littered with coins, even though official workers have removed around 50,000 of them to date in a battle that has seen signs erected pleading in multiple languages for visitors to cease the practice.

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“It’s an endless cycle — as soon as we pick them up, more are thrown in,” an official spokesperson said. The village has even set up offering boxes to receive the coins instead of the pools.

The way coins erode is one of the main worries due to potential pollution of the ponds’ pristine waters, though, to date, water quality tests have found no environmental residues.

Coin-tossing or offering for luck at tourist sites occurs in many places around the world. Concerns were raised in 2025 at the Giant’s Causeway, a renowned Northern Irish UNESCO World Heritage site estimated to be up to 60 million years old, that is being damaged by tourists determined to leave their mark on the place by wedging coins that then rust between the rocks, resulting in a plea from the UK’s National Trust for visitors to “leave no trace.”

One of the most famous examples of coin-based tourist rituals happens at Rome’s Trevi Fountain, where coin throwing was immortalised by the hit 20^th-century movie theme Three Coins in a Fountain. Municipal authorities in the Italian capital regularly collect the coins and distribute them to charitable causes. But Japan has no such native tradition.

The problem has reportedly worsened since 2013, when the ponds were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracting more visitors to the area. As part of efforts to clean up Mount Fuji and deal with overtourism, its trails now come with an access fee. But the issue continues. An annual cherry blossom festival had to be cancelled this year amid mounting pressure on locals.

The negative effect of the UNESCO designation has been in the news elsewhere recently, after villagers in the Slovakian hamlet of Vlkolínec complained about being outnumbered more than 7000-to-one by the 100,000 annual visitors that descend upon the area since the UN body included it on its list. “UNESCO has turned us into a tourist ‘zoo.’ This supposed honour has become not just a burden – but a living nightmare,” one villager told press.

L’article Tourists asked to stop throwing coins into iconic Japanese ponds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

While some might argue that curiosity about the world is nothing new when it comes to driving travel, the rise of mass tourism as a checklist activity during the second half of the 20^th century could be argued to have erased some of the joy of individual discovery and development that seeing the world can offer. More recently, possibly in a backlash to such a consumerist vision of the world, experiential tourism and the search for authentic, community-led, responsible travel have grown in popularity.

Feeding into that demand, stakeholders in Uppsala, in east-central Sweden, hope to showcase why the destination is the perfect place for travellers motivated by more holistic goals.

“We consider it a movement, with travel increasingly centred on meaning, context and new facets rather than simply experiences to check off a list. Uppsala has all the prerequisites to be a destination for this type of traveller,” says Helena Bovin, Head of Marketing at Destination Uppsala.

Less than an hour north of Stockholm, and possessing one of the most youthful populations in the country, Uppsala boasts “one of Europe’s oldest universities and a history of pioneering spirits,” press materials point out. This background, they argue, makes it the perfect place to experience IQ tourism, such as:

• hunting down a moveable red tower that will change location during the year
• using code words to unlock book tips at an independent bookstore
• exploring what lies behind a memorial stone for a historical event that perhaps never happened but has left a mark
• creating one’s own perfume with every ingredient chosen to tell a story
• discovering a miniature world hiding in plain sight in the city
• or simply indulging in a specialist coffee roastery where the conversation is as important as the beans

Ironically perhaps, for an approach that is supposed to reject check-lists, promoters have put together a list of around 60 “experiences, places and phenomena – from groundbreaking research and history to contemporary innovations, culture, food and handicrafts,” to give visitors “just a selection of everything that Uppsala has to offer, providing new insights, new knowledge and new perspectives.”

The campaign will be visible through video content, digital, and physical channels, Uppsala’s own and third-party social media accounts and commercial media both in and outside Sweden.

L’article For the curious of mind and spirit: Uppsala launches IQ Tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The scheme, which was uncovered by a police investigation, allegedly involved guides triggering costly helicopter evacuations between 2022 and 2025, affecting at least 4,782 climbers. Investigators estimate that around 300 evacuations were carried out under fraudulent or unnecessary circumstances. So far, 32 people have been charged under the Organised Crime Prevention Act, with around eleven individuals having been arrested. 

Initial reports from international media outlets claimed that climbers had been deliberately poisoned in order to justify emergency evacuations. Food was allegedly tampered with using substances such as baking powder or misused medication, while other accounts mentioned the introduction of uncooked chicken or rat droppings into tourists’ meals to induce symptoms resembling altitude sickness.

The scheme reportedly extended well beyond individual guides, involving tour operators, Sherpas, trekking companies, helicopter operators and hospital executives. Once travellers displayed symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or body aches, they were persuaded to accept a helicopter evacuation.

From there, the alleged fraud unfolded. Medical and flight documents were forged to claim costs from international insurers. Flights carrying multiple passengers were billed as individual evacuations, and hospital admissions and treatment reports were fabricated. In some cases, investigators say, tourists never even set foot in the facilities for which they were billed.

The first arrests were made in January.

The total fraud is estimated at around $20 million, extracted from insurers through unnecessary, exaggerated or entirely fabricated claims.

However, Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has dismissed some of the more sensational claims. While confirming that the insurance scam is well established, the CIB told Climbing magazine that the official investigation has found no evidence of “poisoning”.

In a press release signed by Senior Superintendent of Police Shiva Kumar Shrestha and addressing inaccuracies in international reporting, the CIB stated that “no facts have been found to suggest that poisonous substances were mixed into food” to facilitate fake rescues.

Attention of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has been drawn to recent news reports circulated in national and international media regarding the Bureau's investigations into the "FAKE RESCUE" of tourists.#theeverestnews #nepal #nepalnow #fakerescue #CIB pic.twitter.com/yMvrbWAb6q

— The Everest News (@TheEverestNews) April 4, 2026

Although the fraud itself is well documented, the 748-page charge sheet makes no mention of the widespread global media claims of deliberate poisoning.

The CIB also warned that the scheme has “caused harm to Nepal’s pride, prestige and dignity internationally”.

The fake rescue economy is not new, though. A similar scheme was exposed as early as 2018 by the Kathmandu Post, prompting a 700-page report and promises of reform, which largely failed to materialise.

“There was lax punitive action”, conceded Kumar, adding that “when there is no action against crime, it flourishes”.

Similar reports emerged in 2019, detailing how visitors colluded with operators to fake illness and split insurance payouts in an attempt to offset the rising cost of expeditions. In the mid-1990s, an Everest expedition cost between £2,000 and £3,000. Today, climbers pay anywhere from £33,000 to £55,000.

For Nepal, which has already been criticised for allowing Everest to become what many describe as “a complete circus”, the implications of this fraud are significant. The scandal has landed at a particularly sensitive moment, as the financial stakes have never been higher.

Tourism is a cornerstone of the national economy, and Everest remains its most powerful symbol. Damage to its reputation could deter visitors just as Nepal moves to tighten access to the mountain by introducing stricter requirements for climbers and increasing permit fees in an attempt to restore credibility.

L’article Everest fraud scandal exposes fake rescues and broken oversight est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.