Kathmandu. A total of 325,558 tourists have visited Mustang in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. According to the District Police Office, 69,814 foreign tourists and 252,664 domestic tourists entered Mustang from mid-July to mid-January of the current fiscal year.

According to the District Police Office, a total of 19,781 foreign and domestic tourists entered Mustang through the Beni-Jomsom road, a national pride project, 23,205 in August, 75,599 in September, 83,766 in October, 49,050 in November, 39,153 in December and 32,004 in January.

A total of 340,729 foreign and domestic tourists had visited Mustang from mid-July to mid-January last year. According to the Nepal Police, the number of tourists visiting Nepal in the first eight months of the current fiscal year is 18,171 (5.33 per cent) less than the number of tourists visiting Nepal in the last fiscal year.

Police Inspector at the District Police Office, Nawaraj Neupane, said the records of foreign and domestic tourists entering Mustang via road have been collected at Ghasa on the border of Myagdi and Mustang districts. Police units under the control of the tourists who entered Mustang via Pokhara-Jomsom air service and entered Mustang via Manang via Thorang pass have been collecting records.

According to the District Police Office, a total of 454,326 tourists visited Mustang in the year 2080÷81 while 705,779 tourists visited Mustang in the year 2080÷82.

The number of tourists visiting Mustang is increasing with the construction of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road, a national pride road, in recent period. Most of the tourists from SAARC countries who enter Mustang return after visiting Muktinath. Foreign tourists from other countries enter Mustang by crossing the Beni-Jomsom road route and Manang via Thorang Pass.

The number of domestic tourists coming to Kagbenidham of Mustang to perform Shraddha for the rescue of ancestors and to visit the Muktinath Temple is also increasing. Three percent of tourists visiting Mustang are foreigners. It is found that a significant number of domestic tourists have reached Korala checkpoint after the Jomsom-Korala road got easier in recent period.