Kathmandu, Feb. 14 -- Nepal's National Assembly has passed the Integrated Tourism Bill, a wide-ranging piece of legislation that introduces stricter rules for mountaineering, tighter safety and insurance provisions, and a permanent environment fund aimed at cleaning up the country's high mountains, including Mount Everest.

The upper house unanimously endorsed the proposal tabled by Tourism Minister Anil Kumar Sinha on February 9. Addressing lawmakers, Sinha said the bill seeks to diversify and systematically regulate Nepal's tourism sector while strengthening safety and environmental standards in mountaineering.

Mountaineering rules have been incorporated into the tourism bill for the first time to strengthen enforcement, as earlier pro...