Mustang, October 26
Tourist activity in the Himalayan district of Mustang has been picking up since Dashain. The district, which remained nearly deserted before the festival, has seen an increase in tourist arrivals since Thursday.
Tourist numbers had declined after devastating floods in Bhotekoshi, Rasuwa, and heavy rainfall on October 11 triggered floods, landslides and riverbank erosion, completely blocking the Beni-Jomsom road connecting Mustang to other areas.
According to Inspector Ishwar Mahat, information officer at the District Police Office, Mustang, tourist arrivals via the Beni-Jomsom road have increased since Dashain.
A total of 5,663 tourists entered Mustang through the road between Ghatasthapana and the day of Bijaya Dashami this year. Of them, 3,738 were men, and 1,925 were women. Foreign tourists accounted for 4,409, or 77.85 per cent, of the total arrivals during the 10-day period, Mahat said.
According to district police records, 7,846 tourists visited Mustang in the two days following Dashain Tika. Of them, 3,033 arrived on Thursday and 4,813 on Friday. Both domestic and foreign tourist arrivals have been increasing daily since the festival, Mahat said.
Mustang received 30,534 tourists in Shrawan, 20,268 in Bhadra and 18,601 in Ashoj this fiscal year.
Tourism entrepreneurs expect business to pick up during the Dashain-Tihar holidays. Nepalis returning from abroad for Dashain, along with civil servants, bank employees and other visitors travelling during the festive break, are among those visiting the district. Local tourism entrepreneurs are optimistic that domestic and international tourist arrivals will continue to rise through Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.
Mustang is a popular religious and tourist destination, attracting visitors to Muktinath Temple, the Korala border point, Jhong Cave, Lo Manthang Palace, Ghar Monastery, Chhongsi Cave, Dhumba Lake, Titi Lake and numerous other sites.
The district draws tourists with its historical, religious and cultural heritage, biodiversity, Himalayan landscapes and natural beauty. The recovery in visitor numbers is expected to revive Mustang’s tourism sector, which had slowed following the Bhotekoshi flood disaster and the closure of the Beni-Jomsom road.
—RSS
