Tourism in Mustang, one of Nepal’s Himalayan tourist destinations, took a turn for the worse in Bhadra compared to the previous month as visitor records filed with the District Police Office, Mustang, show a 47.78 percent decrease in the wake of the disastrous Rasuwa Bhotekoshi flood. Mustang recorded 31,989 domestic and international visitors in Bhadra this year as compared to 61,263 visitors in Shrawan, according to statistics gathered from the tourist entry records maintained at the District Police Office, Mustang. This implies that Mustang has seen a significant drop in the movement of people in Bhadra in spite of the Himalayan region seeing visitors throughout the challenging monsoon period.
The drop in the number of visitors came as the Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) saw road blockages due to floods, landslides, and river erosion, especially during Shrawan. Police records show that Mustang continued to see a significant number of visitors in spite of the road blockage in the corridor, but the number of people visiting Mustang dropped significantly in Bhadra after the devastating flood disaster in Rasuwa. Authorities believe the effect of the disaster and the national mourning period may have played a role in the decreased number of tourists, although it is unclear if the flood was the sole contributor to the decreased number of tourists.
Mustang Sees Nearly 30,000 Fewer Visitors
According to the tourist entry records maintained at the Ghasa Police Post (Myagdi-Mustang border), the district received 61,263 visitors in Shrawan, out of which 30,655 were domestic tourists, 31,575 were visitors from SAARC countries, and 193 were visitors from other countries. In Bhadra, however, the district welcomed 31,989 visitors, out of which 16,503 were domestic tourists, 15,138 were visitors from SAARC countries, and 348 were visitors from other countries.
The number of visitors recorded in Bhadra reflects a decrease of 29,274 visitors from Shrawan, with domestic tourists accounting for 14,152 fewer visitors (46.16 percent decrease) and SAARC visitors down by 16,437 (52.05 percent decrease) compared to Shrawan.
Domestic And Regional Tourism Hit Hardest
The drop in the number of visitors was most significant among domestic and SAARC tourists, who constitute the bulk of Mustang’s visitors. Domestic tourist arrivals dropped by 14,152 compared to Shrawan, and SAARC tourist arrivals decreased by 16,437 during the same period. The district road connectivity has been hampered by the monsoon, with the (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) route witnessing frequent road blockages owing to landslides and river erosion. This, however, did not prevent Mustang from witnessing a significant number of visitors in Shrawan.
International Arrivals Show A Different Trend
In spite of the drop in domestic and SAARC tourist arrivals, Mustang saw an increase in the number of visitors from other countries in Bhadra. In Bhadra, the district witnessed 348 visitors from countries other than SAARC, compared to 193 visitors in Shrawan. So, how does Bhadra fare against Shrawan in terms of the total number of visitors recorded in Mustang?
Mustang welcomed a total of 93,252 domestic and international visitors during Shrawan and Bhadra of the current fiscal year, of which 47,158 were domestic tourists, 46,713 were visitors from SAARC countries, and 441 were visitors from other countries. Thus, despite the significant decrease in the number of visitors recorded in Bhadra, the total number of visitors recorded during the two months remains above that of the same period of the previous fiscal year, when Mustang had recorded 19,781 visitors in Shrawan and 23,205 visitors in Bhadra.
Rasuwa Disaster Adds To Tourism Uncertainty
District Police Office, Mustang spokesperson and Police Inspector Santosh Basyal attributed the drop to the effect the flood disaster in Rasuwa Bhotekoshi on August 26, which left the entire nation in mourning, had on the visitors. The drop in the number of tourists is reflective of the difficult period the nation is currently in, but it doesn’t make out for a direct causal link either.
Bhadra, however, has seen a significant drop in the number of visitors, which comes at a delicate time for its tourism industry. In spite of the road blockage affecting the Beni-Jomsom-Korala route, it has seen domestic and international visitors throughout Shrawan. But such events as the flood in Rasuwa can have a direct impact on the tourism scenario in Mustang and other tourist destinations in Nepal.
