Tourism on Mount Everest generates enormous revenues annually; however, how are these funds spent? Tourism is not just another business for the Sherpas of Solukhumbu; tourism provides these people with money in their pockets and keeps food on the table by providing them education to their children.
The business of tourism provides livelihood for the local population via guiding, portering, hospitality services, and agriculture.
Guiding and Portering: The Backbone of the Economy
In the tourism sector in that area, the Sherpa guides get paid the highest. The salary of an experienced Sherpa guide is about 588,000-1,765,000 Nepalese rupees for two months in the climbing season. This translates into $2,900-$8,700.
In the region of Khumbu, it is a highly valued amount for their families. It is a dangerous profession since in every climbing season, the guides face a threat of avalanche, ice fall, and altitude sickness. Mostly, they never return.
For trekkers planning an Everest Base Camp Budget Trek, local guides and porters are an important part of the trekking experience.
Porters get paid very little. The salary earned by a porter trekking in the Everest region is roughly between $20-25 per day. They have to walk on the same difficult trails carrying 30 kg weight on their shoulders, whereas the tourists ride on the yaks.
In high seasons, a few of the porters succeed in earning as much as Rs 2,000 per day. This is an important job for the young men from lower Solukhumbu, as they need money to attend college.
Teahouses and Lodges: Family Businesses at Altitude
Teahouses are at the center of all activities of the Everest trek. The tea houses provide food, shelter, and warmth at heights over 4,000 meters (13,122 feet). Running a lodge is a family business. Husbands and wives cooperate in this job. Their children also participate when it is busy season. This activity starts early in the morning at 5:00 AM and goes up to late at night.
The earnings of the tea houses are seasonal. Thousands of trekkers come in spring and autumn. But in winter there is nobody there. Owners must have money accumulated during high season to survive during low season. For many Sherpa families, a teahouse is the result of many years of hard work. Karma Rita Sherpa, the guide from Phortse, tried to climb Everest fifteen times to build a tea house for his family.
Farming, Trade, and the Changing Economy
Tourism has not wiped out traditional professions but rather changed them. For instance, Sherpa families still cultivate potatoes, barley, and buckwheat. They still tend yaks and dzo. But agriculture alone cannot provide a family with enough money. Tourism provides higher earnings and also opens up new markets.
Market gardening has become very popular in Pharak area near the Everest trail. There has been demand created by tourism for fresh produce. Local farmers started growing produce for sale to the lodges and teahouses. Agriculture has thus turned from subsistence to commerce. Trade exchanges have been increased. The agrarian landscape is being restructured due to tourism.
Livestock continues to be significant. Yaks help in bringing supplies where there is no access for vehicles. Dzo help people bring loads through the rough terrain. Yak herders make money by renting yaks to trekking parties.
Women and the Hidden Workforce
A significant number of women participate in the tourism sector of Mount Everest. While some act as lodge owners with their husbands as guides, others work as cleaners, cooks, and retailers. Tourism has created employment opportunities for Sherpa women; it has also blurred gender norms.
Several studies indicate that tourism is a catalyst for change with regard to gender norms in the Sherpa community. Women who used to manage their houses now manage their businesses. Women have taken up the job of trekking guides. Some women are engaged in waste management and recycling activities that generate trash and transform them into souvenirs and trekking equipment. Without the contribution of women, the system would fail.
The Seasonal Gamble
There are two times when there is money, and two times when there is none. It is all about the two seasons that are responsible for all economic activity. Spring and autumn are the periods with visitors. Winter and the monsoon period is silent.
This cyclical nature of the business dictates every step of the local people. School fees of children are paid after autumn, and medical expenses are postponed until spring. Failure in one of the seasons can ruin many years of hard work. A successful year will provide extra money to buy another room in the lodge or pay for school.
Climate change introduces new risks into the business. Weather patterns are changing, glaciers are melting. There are no guarantees anymore about the seasons we used to know.
How Trekkers Can Support Local Livelihoods
You, the traveler, can do so much by yourself. Instead of using foreign-owned lodges, opt for those which belong to locals. Get yourself a guide and porters from Nepal and pay fair wages and don’t bargain even over petty things.
Dispose of garbage properly and respect the nature. Also try learning Nepali language and greet your workers with a good spirit. Remember that your cherished trek is their livelihood. Every penny you spend in Nepal goes back into the community.
Final Thoughts
The people of the Everest region have created an amazing blend of traditional activities and tourism to make a living. Activities like guiding, portering, running lodges, farming, and trading contribute in some way. Every activity comes with its own set of risks. Every activity offers rewards. People of Solukhumbu have developed a unique method of making a living despite facing many difficulties. While you travel in Nepal, you become a part of this system. Be prudent and respectful of their efforts.
