Kathmandu, March 12 (IANS): In an effort to market Nepal's virgin mountains in the international arena, the Nepal government said it will soon contract the private sector and investors in developing promotional packages, according to officials.

"We will ask the private sector and investors both from Nepal and abroad to develop a promotional scheme to market a number of unclimbed mountains in Nepal," tourism ministry spokesperson Mohan Krishna Sapkota told Xinhua Wednesday.

In mid-January the ministry had announced that it would open 32 new mountains for expeditions from spring in the first phase.

The government has allowed 326 mountains for expeditions so far while the remaining 984 have not been opened.

Sapkota said though his ministry has not yet fixed the number of virgin mountains to be included under the promotional campaign, discussions are being held to promote the 32 new mountains that the ministry has decided to open from this year in the first phase.