Edmund Hillary, the first man to conquer the world’s highest peak Mt Everest, has called on tourists to help revive the tourism industry of Nepal, a report said.

In an interview with the New Zealand Television on Monday, 85 year old Hillary said that the revival of tourism industry of this Himalayan kingdom would help in recovery of the country’s derailed economy by the recent political troubles, the Associated Press reported.

His call came as Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala took the responsibility of forming a new government after three weeks of demonstrations led by the seven-party alliance, forcing King Gyanendra to step down from his 15 month long direct rule.

Hillary is in Nepal on a trip that had been delayed because of the demonstrations.

With Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, Hillary had conquered Mt Everest on May 29, 1953. Since the last 43 years, Hillary has been active in fund raising for development work in the Solukhumbu region.