In 2081, 4 thousand 136 foreign tourists visited Upper Mustang. During this period, 230 people from SAARC countries and 3906 foreign tourists from other countries have visited here, according to Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Area Conservation Office (ACAP) Lomanthang.
According to Umesh Paudel, head of the office, tourists from 72 countries have visited Upper Mustang in a year. The maximum number of 734 tourists visited this place in the month of October and the least number of 30 tourists visited in the month of January. The previous year in 2080, 3,613 foreigners visited Upper Mustang.
During that period, 52 people from SAARC countries and 3,561 people from other countries visited. Paudel, the head of the ACAP office, informed that the number of tourists increased by 513 people in 2081, i.e. 12.64 percent more than in 2080.
He said that since road traffic is easy, tourist arrivals have started to increase in Upper Mustang. Poudel informed that only about four percent of the total number of foreign tourists entering Mustang district reach Upper Mustang.
Revenue collection of more than 27 million
27 million rupees for tourist royalty fees from Ullo Mustang last year 29 lakh revenue has been collected. The government has collected this revenue based on the average Nepali currency estimate of the current year's foreign currency. Upper Mustang, which is bordered by China, has been listed by the government as a prohibited and controlled area. The government has kept this area as a prohibited and controlled area because there may be unwanted activities in the border area. For this reason, only a limited number of tourists who enter Mustang reach Upper Mustang.
Baragung Mukti Kshetra Rural Municipality-4 of Mustang has placed the area above Kagbeni as a prohibited and controlled area. Tourists do not have to pay any fees other than the entry fee charged by ACAP to reach the two rural villages of Lower Mustang, Muktinath and Kagbeni in Baragung Muktikshetra However, the Nepal Government Immigration Department charges a fee of 500 dollars for a 10-day entry permit for tourists going from Kagbeni to Upper Mustang.
There is a provision that foreign tourists who have paid a fee to the government and obtained a permit after 10 days have to pay an additional fee of 50 dollars per day. Due to the high entrance fee of Upper Mustang, local tourism professionals complain that the number of foreign tourists is low.
Loghekar Damodarkund rural municipality chairman Lopsang Chomphel Bista said that putting this area in the list of prohibited areas is a problem in terms of tourism. He said that the tourism industry has been hit by the minimum revenue that the government collects from foreign tourists visiting Upper Mustang. "It is a border area, in terms of security, it is not wrong to be kept in a restricted area, but the restricted area is not able to sustain tourism here, that's why so many young people are starting to migrate abroad," said Chairman Bista.
Foreign tourists come here to observe the isolated geography, historical religion, tolerance and originality of Upper Mustang. Here there is a separate religious culture and tradition similar to the Tibetan culture. In Lomanthang there is a historical Lomanthang palace built in the seventh century. The monastery, Mane, Chorten there are the basis of tourist attraction. Loghekar There is a Loghekar (house) monastery built in the 7th century in Marang of Damodarkund. The monastery is related to Guru Padyasambhava.
After reaching here, you can see dozens of religious, cultural and natural heritages including Luri Monastery, Charang Monastery, Dhakmarama Red Hill, Choser Cave, Chiusi Cave, Mustang Gate, and the world's highest golf course. The presence of foreign tourists is more frequent here every year during Tiji and Yartung festivals.
