Over 37,500 foreign tourists visit Manang in a year

Manang –  Arrival of foreign tourists has been increasing every year in Manang district. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Area Office, as many as 37,733 foreign tourists visited Manang district in the fiscal year 2024/25. As per the data of Dharapani Tourist Check Point under the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Office, Manang, total 2,554 tourists from SAARC countries and 35,178 tourists from other countries visited Manang in the last fiscal year. Office Chief Dhak Bahadur Bhujel shared that tourists from 134 countries had the footfall in Manang district and the highest number of tourists were from Israel, which stands at 4,358, followed by 3,616 from France and 2,842 from Germany.

Similarly, the number of those visiting Manang from abroad was 22,371 from 124 countries in fiscal year 2023/24. French stood first in number. Locals here are dependent on agriculture and tourism business and the increasing arrival of foreign tourists has helped in economic growth of the district, thereby improving nation’s economy. Tourists have been found attracted to visit Manang as Annapurna trekking route, which is ranked as the 10th most dangerous trekking route in the world, lies in Manang. Manang has been choice of the tourists as it has immense natural heritages and beauty. Conservation Education Assistant at ACAP, Bhupendra Gurung, mentioned that the number of domestic tourists visiting Manang is remarkable in recent period. However, the erratic weather events coupled with climate change impact in the upper hilly and mountainous district, Manang, in recent years, is unleashing fear among local entrepreneurs whether they could retain the rise of foreign footfall in the district.