More than 38 thousand tourists have visited Mustang in the fiscal year 2078-79.
According to Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP), 38,896 foreigners visited Mustang last fiscal year. Ashok Subedi, head of ACAP Jomsom informed that 33,457 tourists from India alone visited Mustang during this time frame. 2,743 foreign tourists came to Mustang crossing Thorangla Pass at an altitude of 5 thousand 300 meters from Manang. Likewise, 1,566 tourists visited Upper Mustang.
Foreigners have to pay a fee of five hundred dollars for seven days to go to the semi-forbidden territory of Upper Mustang from Kagbeni to Korala border. A fee of Rs 1,000 per person has been set for SAARC countries and Rs 3,000 per person for visiting the ACAP area, which includes Lamjung, Kaski, Manang, Mustang and Myagdi districts of Gandaki province. According to ACAP, Rs 949 million revenue was collected from the entry fee of tourists visiting Mustang last year.
Deserted mountains, Himalayan climate, culture and lifestyle, lakes, monasteries, Muktinath temple, caves are the major attractions of Mustang. Due to corona (virus) epidemic, tourism sector of Mustang has experienced a setback Mustang for past two years. According to ACAP statistics, 60,000 foreign tourists used to arrive in Mustang every year before the pandemic. As pandemic tries to wane, tourist arrivals in Mustang have slowly started to return to its old rhythm.
Along with the increasing movement of tourists, the residents of the tourist area, tourism, hotel businessmen and laborers are getting some relief. Inflow of tourists in the religious and attractive places of Mustang including Muktinath, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lomanthang, Marfa, Thini, Dhumba Lake has started to gain progressively.
