We will find other ways to support Everest region this time around

The greatest contribution we can make to the down-sliding tourism sector of the Everest regions is by bringing tourists in the region through different programs and events. No matter how far we go in imparting message about Nepal being safe and sound to travel, about four months after a major earthquake shook it by the core, through media and social media, but nothing will be as instrumental and effective as bringing tourists through engaging works and hosting events. Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon aspired to achieve the same feat, bringing noteworthy mass of tourists through our esteemed event, which we are very emotional and passionate about.

We intended to make this year’s edition even grander for we acknowledged our responsibility towards the Everest region by organizing our esteemed event against all odds. Collaborating with the Namche Youth Association and other local social service organizations, we were looking forward in making contribution to the region and its people through our event in whatever we way we could. this year’s marathon was completely a charity event in some ways. But we had no other option than canceling this year’s edition considering the dubious concern of our participants. Most of our runners, withdrew their participation and booked for the upcoming year. While we will surely find other ways to contributing to the tourism sector of the Everest region, we are publishing this news with a heavy heart.

Organizing Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon has philosophical and psychological motivation for us. We started this marathon for none other inspiration than experiencing the Himalaya into its entirety once annually. Coming to Nepal, vanishing into the mighty elegant mountains and escaping from our regular ordeal, carried enormous meaning for us – we healed, saw bigger dreams and returned with new energy and bigger goals into our regular life. It had been many several years we have been coming to Nepal and running in the Everest region. The idea of Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon was conceived from our only desire to provide same opportunity to people looking for ultimate adventure and passion for marathons. Organizing this marathon also satisfies our devotion to create something worthwhile and beautiful. We are always driven by our passion towards making this marathon bigger and bigger so that we could contribute something extremely meaningful in the tourism sector of the Everest region.

This time around, we were looking forward towards collaborating with Nepal Tourism Board and Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal in assisting their plan to revive the tourism sector of Nepal by organizing FM (Familiarization) trips to travel agents around the world in the Everest region. Teams of security personnel (Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army) had given their assurances in supporting our marathon. Nevertheless, we were left without any option but canceling this year’s event because our participants and guests were not prepared to visit Nepal yet. Those who were willing to participate, they had to withdraw their participation because basic requirements (like electricity) were not at place at different sections of the marathon.

Bringing people to the Everest region is the most effective way we can contribute to the tourism sector of the region. And tourism is the only sector that Everest region has excelled so far. Now we need to find different way bringing people in the Everest region, since our marathon has to be called off this year. Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon will be returning next year, with bigger plans and vision. We will be running our marathon all by ourselves, like we used to do before this marathon was created. At the same time, we would like to share that Edmund Hillary Everest Marathon is being held on the very same day of our marathon. We would like to wish them all the success.