China to Blacklist Tourists Who Leave Graffiti on Mt. Everest
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Graffiti is a problem for cities and run-down towns—as well as one of nature's most coveted treasures. At Mount Everest, tourists have been trekking to Base Camp to scribble their names and comments on monuments.
The markings have become so bad that Chinese authorities in Tibet say they are considering setting aside special wall space just for visitors to write on, according to remarks from deputy head of Tingri County tourism bureau Gu Chunlei to The Paper. Another way to deter offenders? Publicizing the names of those who can't follow rules. "Starting this year, we will set up a blacklist system to punish badly behaved tourists, such as those who leave graffiti," said Gu. "The blacklist will be made public through media outlets." And since tourists have to register to enter the area, offenders can consider themselves permanantly banned moving forward.
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This announcement comes at the peak season for Everest, with about 550 visits a day to the base camp, and after Chinese authorities created a similar setup at the Great Wall of China. "It's a way of getting travelers to change their habits without even knowing it," added Gu.
