100k+ foreign tourists visit Mustang in nine months

From January to early October 2024, a total of 105,698 foreign tourists visited Mustang district. Among these, 90,081 were from SAARC countries, while 15,617 were from other countries, according to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Checkpost in Jomsom.

During this period, 82.66 percent of the foreign tourists were from SAARC countries, and 17.33 percent were from other countries. The highest number of foreign tourists arrived in Mustang in May, with 29,762 visitors, while the lowest was in January, with 2,126 tourists.

According to ACAP, very few foreign tourists entered Mustang from late September to the first week of October compared to last year. Pramod Raj Regmi, head of the ACAP office in Jomsom, noted that the decline in tourists was due to incessant rains, floods, landslides, and river erosion in various parts of the country, which blocked roadways. Additionally, out of the total tourists who visited Mustang, 8,397 entered from Besisahar in Lamjung to Manang along the Round Annapurna Cycle Path. Regmi added that 7.94 percent of the total number of tourists who entered Mustang did so via the Annapurna Trail.

Of the tourists who visited the Annapurna Trail via Manang, 97.07 percent were from other countries, while 2.92 percent were from SAARC countries. The highest number of foreign tourists entered Mustang in May, with 1,818, and the lowest in January, with 186. From January to December 2023, a total of 121,352 foreign tourists visited Mustang district, comprising 98,253 from SAARC countries and 23,099 from other countries. Additionally, 10,424 people entered Mustang via Manang, and 1,547 foreign tourists visited Upper Mustang.

In 2023, 76.49 percent of visitors were from SAARC countries, and 23.51 percent were from other countries. According to Regmi, most tourists entering Mustang were Indian, as many Indian pilgrims are interested in visiting the famous religious site Muktinath.