Tourist inflow up in Mustang

GALESHWOR: MARCH. 31 – inflow of domestic and external tourists has shot up in the trans-Himalayan touristic district, Mustang, with the fear of COVID-19 infection receding of late.

Tourism entrepreneurs have no bound of happiness right at the moment when daily around 3,000 tourists are entering Mustang and Lomanthang through the surface and air routes. Along with a rise in the influx, the landscape of the marvellous tourism hotspot has also changed.

Jomsom Airport sources said daily 15 flights are taking place now in Mustang – the centre of attraction for domestic and external tourists. Likewise, there seems a long queue of surface transport means on the Beni-Jomsom road leading to Muktinath and Lomanthang.

Tourism entrepreneurs said the arrival of tourists via air and surface routes has invariably upped in Mustang which saw almost zero mobility of tourists during a two-year hiatus following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of visitors has increased as this is the tourist high season in Mustang and the caseload of coronavirus is also lowering due to the vaccination drive. With the advent of Chaite Dashain, there is a huge flow of people offering homage to their ancestors at Kaagbeni.

Devlal Poudel, a local of Gaindakot Municipality-12, Harkapur said, “I found Mustang captivating more than expected. It was difficult to get a hotel room due to the huge inflow of tourists in the season”.

Likewise, people residing in different countries are also returning to their home town with the advent of a cultural fair at Lomanthang in upper Mustang.

Chief of Jomsom Airport Puskal Raj Sharma informed that now daily 15 flights are taking place after Mustang-Pokhara air service has resumed since March 6. Each flight has a capacity of 18 passengers. With this, daily 250 plus people are entering Mustang via air route, he informed.

Lately, over 2,000 tourists are daily entering Mustang on tourist buses, jeeps and motorbikes via the surface route, the district police office sources said.

Hotel entrepreneurs said the tourism industry which was almost in a moribund state is now revitalizing with the rise in the arrival of tourists.

-RSS