A dispute has arisen between Nepal’s tourism promotional body, the Nepal Tourism Board, and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality in the Everest region over mandatory guides and trekking permits. On 14 April, the rural municipality implemented the Trek Card as the digital entry pass for the Everest region, which confirms fit trekkers can travel without guides. The tussle has caused concern among tourism entrepreneurs, who worry about the collection of multiple fees from trekkers and whether they should pay for the Trek Card or the Trekkers’ Information Management Systems (TIMS) card. The new rules that the Nepal Tourism Board has imposed ban foreign trekkers from visiting Nepal’s national parks and conservation areas without a guide or a porter for the entire journey mainly because of the safety of trekkers and creation of jobs for the locals. A trekker found travelling on designated trekking trails without a guide or TIMS card face a Rs12,000 fine. The board claims its guidelines have been introduced following pressure from the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal.