Tibet scenery zone announces new requirements for tourists

Dingri county in the Tibet autonomous region has announced it will require visitors to take sightseeing bus to enter the scenery zone of Mount Qomolangma, or Mt. Everest, starting Wednesday.

The statement was released on the county's official WeChat account, jointly made by the county's culture and tourism bureau and the Shigatse Qomolangma Culture & Tourism Investment Development Co., Ltd.

The statement notes the decision was made to ensure the safety of tourists driving in the zone and to better address management work.

As an exception, outdoor bicycles, hikers, vehicles of the scenery sites and the Rongpu Monastery, law enforcement vehicles, funeral vehicles, emergency rescue vehicles, medical ambulances, tent operators' material support vehicles and other related special vehicles and special business vehicles can enter the scenic sties with approval process.

Except for the above vehicles, all other passengers (including self-driving new energy vehicles) need to transfer to a sightseeing bus.

Additionally, the environmental protection fee of vehicles entering the tourism sites also has been cancelled. In the past, a vehicle with 14 seats or less had to pay 320 yuan ($43), and 480 yuan for a vehicle with 14 seats or more.

Dingri is in Tibet's Shigatse prefecture, where the average altitude tops 5,000 meters. The county is located at the base of Qomolangma and is part of the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve.