Mustang District Sees Record Tourist Numbers

In the fiscal year 2023/24, Mustang District achieved a record by welcoming 427,271 tourists, a significant increase from the previous year. The Beni-Jomsom road was the main entry point for these visitors, providing access to Mustang’s numerous attractions.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhoj Raj Pandey from the District Police Office, Mustang, reported that the total number of tourists included 318,814 domestic visitors, 99,276 tourists from SAARC countries, and 9,171 tourists from other countries. These tourists arrived in 74,374 vehicles, highlighting Mustang’s growing popularity as a travel destination.

In the previous fiscal year, 2022/23, Mustang saw 379,767 tourists, including 303,800 domestic tourists and 75,967 foreign tourists, arriving in 62,340 vehicles. The increase of 47,504 tourists this year underscores Mustang’s rising appeal.

Krishna Prasad Subedi, a priest at the Muktinath Temple, credits this rise to improved road and transport facilities, effective publicity and digital marketing, the construction of modern hotels, and the Annapurna Circuit Trek being ranked among the world’s top ten destinations by a renowned media outlet. Mustang’s natural and cultural attractions, including mountains, lakes, monasteries, the Muktinath Temple, caves, and the unique local culture and lifestyle, continue to attract visitors.

Despite the overall increase, Rinjin Gurung, Chairperson of Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality, noted a decline in tourists from non-SAARC countries. He suggested that blacktopping the Beni-Jomsom road could further boost tourist arrivals.

Popular tourist and religious sites in Mustang include Muktinath, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lomanthang, Marpha, Thini, and Dhumba Lake, all contributing to Mustang’s rich tourism appeal.