Foreign tourist arrivals in Mustang surge by 50% in 2024

KATHMANDU: Foreign tourist arrivals in Mustang witnessed a remarkable 50% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year.

According to the Jomsom Area Conservation Office under the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the number of tourists visiting Mustang in 2024 rose by 50.20%, or 45,363, reaching a total of 135,719 visitors.

ACAP Jomsom Chief Pramod Raj Regmi attributed this growth to improved road transport facilities, the inclusion of the Annapurna Circuit among the world’s top ten trekking destinations, identification of new destinations, promotional campaigns, digital marketing, the establishment of well-equipped hotels, and the introduction of an online permit system.

Prem Prasad Poudel, Head of the Industry and Tourism Office Mustang, noted that Indian tourists visiting Mustang increased significantly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Muktinath and Mustang.

In comparison, 90,356 tourists visited Mustang in 2023, 65,940 in 2022, 2,300 in 2021, and 2,347 in 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mustang saw an annual maximum of 60,000 tourists.

In 2024, among the total visitors, 109,549 were from SAARC countries, while 26,170 were from non-SAARC nations. Monthly arrivals were as follows: January (2,126), February (3,699), March (14,829), April (17,320), May (29,773), June (16,342), July (3,440), August (3,580), September (11,785), October (14,035), November (12,035), and December (6,705).

Foreigners visiting the restricted areas of Upper Mustang, from Kagbeni to the Korla border, must pay a fee of USD 500 for a seven-day permit issued by the Department of Immigration.

For visits to the ACAP region, comprising Lamjung, Kaski, Manang, Mustang, and Myagdi districts in Gandaki Province, SAARC nationals are charged Rs 1,000 per person, while non-SAARC nationals are charged Rs 3,000 per person.

Mustang’s attractions include barren hills, Himalayan climate, unique culture and lifestyle, pristine lakes, monasteries, Muktinath Temple, caves, and scenic villages like Kagbeni, Lo Manthang, Marpha, Thini, and Dhumba Lake.

Tourist numbers at these religious and scenic spots have returned to pre-pandemic levels.

According to records from the District Police Office, 427,000 tourists traveled to Mustang via road in the fiscal year 2080/081.

Tourists reach Mustang through roadways via Myagdi and by air from Pokhara. Many also traverse Mustang via the Thorong La Pass from Manang.

The Annapurna Circuit, renowned worldwide, continues to attract both domestic and international tourists.

Muktinath in Mustang is revered globally as a sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists.

The temple’s significance for Hindus lies in its sanctity, while Buddhists revere it as a route taken by Guru Padmasambhava (Rinpoche) for propagating Buddhism in Tibet.