Mustang sees surge with over 142,000 foreign tourists in five months

In Mustang, over 142,000 foreign tourists visited in the past five months. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) office in Jomsom, from January to May 2026, 129,341 tourists from SAARC countries and 13,398 from other nations visited the area.

In May alone, 65,994 foreign tourists arrived, with 61,798 from SAARC countries and 4,196 from other nations, as reported by ACAP office chief Rajesh Gupta.

Compared to the same period last year, when 55,753 foreign tourists visited, the number increased to 86,986 in the same months of 2026, according to ACAP.

In the first five months of 2026, 91% of the tourists were from SAARC countries, with the remaining 9% from other nations. Among the SAARC tourists, nearly 100% were Indian, Gupta stated. In May, 94% of the tourists were from SAARC countries, while 6% were from other regions.

Gupta also noted that over 80% of the Indian tourists visiting during the summer holidays went to Muktinath.

In 2025, Mustang saw 161,122 foreign tourists.