MYAGDI: A total of 427,000 tourists visited Mustang district in one year, using the Beni-Jomsom road to explore different places in the fiscal year 2023/24. This marks an increase of 47,504 tourists compared to the previous fiscal year, 2022/23.

The Ghasa Police Post records the number of tourists and vehicles entering Mustang via the land route. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Mustang, Bhoj Raj Pandey, 427,271 tourists in 74,374 vehicles entered Mustang in the last fiscal year. Of these, 318,814 were domestic tourists, 99,276 were from SAARC countries, and 9,171 were from other countries.

In the fiscal year 2022/23, a total of 379,767 tourists—303,800 domestic and 75,967 foreign tourists—visited Mustang in 62,340 vehicles.

Krishna Prasad Subedi, a priest at Muktinath Temple, attributed the increase in tourists to improved road and transport facilities, publicity, digital marketing, the construction of modern hotels, and the inclusion of the Annapurna Circuit Trek among the world's top 10 destinations by a renowned media outlet.

Mustang's attractions include mountains, lakes, monasteries, Muktinath Temple, caves, culture, and lifestyle. Key destinations in Mustang include Muktinath, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lomanthang, Marpha, Thini, and Dhumba Lake.

However, Rinjin Gurung, Chairperson of Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality, noted a decrease in the number of tourists from non-SAARC countries. He suggested that blacktopping the Beni-Jomsom road might increase tourist arrivals.  -- RSS