Nepal’s Mustang Tourism Faces Autumn Setback as Arrivals Fall 41.52%

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Mustang tourism has suffered a sharp autumn setback, with visitor arrivals falling 41.52% in the first three months of Nepal’s current fiscal year, according to a Khabarhub report citing the District Police Office, Mustang. The district received 69,403 tourists between Shrawan and Ashoj, compared with a reported 118,685 a year earlier. Natural disasters and disruption along the Beni–Jomsom highway have restricted access, leaving tourism businesses facing an unusually quiet period. Behind the quarterly decline lies a striking change in the reported monthly pattern: an encouraging start gave way to substantially fewer visitors as Mustang entered its important autumn travel season.

Autumn arrivals show the sharpest setback

The most significant change appears in Ashoj, the Nepali month falling roughly between mid-September and mid-October. Khabarhub reports that arrivals dropped to 18,601 from 75,599 in the corresponding month last year.

Those figures indicate approximately 75.4% fewer arrivals, a calculated reduction of 56,998 visits. This monthly comparison reveals a much sharper setback than the overall quarterly percentage suggests.

The distinction matters because local businesses normally expect stronger activity during Ashoj and Kartik. A weak start to that busy period places pressure on accommodation providers and other services preparing to receive autumn visitors.

Early growth gives way to a different travel pattern

The quarter did not begin with uniformly weaker arrivals. According to the monthly figures attributed to Police Inspector Ishwor Mahat, Mustang received 30,534 visitors in Shrawan, compared with 19,000 a year earlier.

Arrivals then fell to 20,268 in Bhadra, against 23,205 in the same month last year. Combined, the first two months recorded 50,802 visits, compared with 42,205 previously.

That represents a calculated increase of approximately 20.4% across Shrawan and Bhadra. The subsequent Ashoj decline therefore changed the direction of the quarter, reversing the improvement shown by those earlier monthly figures.

Reported visitor figures at a glance

The source contains a numerical discrepancy: its previous-year monthly figures total 117,804, rather than the stated quarterly total of 118,685. The reported quarterly decline and calculated monthly comparisons should therefore be read separately until the police figures are clarified.

Beni–Jomsom highway disruption restricts access

Khabarhub identifies disruption to the Beni–Jomsom highway as a central factor behind the downturn. The report says the road remained completely blocked for more than two weeks.

It links the disruption to natural disasters, referring to flooding in Rasuwa and subsequent heavy rainfall. However, it does not provide a detailed account of individual damaged sections or explain the precise connection between each event and the highway closure.

The clearest reported consequence is restricted access to Mustang. For tourism businesses, a prolonged interruption to an important approach route affects the ability of visitors to complete their journeys.

Reopening has not brought normal traffic back

According to Khabarhub, the Korala Road Project repaired the affected section and reopened the highway. The report nevertheless says traffic had yet to return to normal.

That distinction is important for understanding the destination’s position. A reopened road marks an infrastructure development, while normal visitor movement is a separate measure of tourism activity.

The source does not specify when unrestricted traffic will resume or provide a recovery timetable. It also gives no subsequent booking figures that would establish whether visitor demand has begun improving.

Hotels face an unusually quiet season

Suraj Gurung, president of the Muktinath Hotel Association, attributed the reduced activity to natural disasters and transport disruption, according to Khabarhub.

He said Mustang usually attracts substantial numbers of tourists during Ashoj and Kartik but had remained unusually quiet this year. His assessment places the arrival figures in the context of the season local businesses normally anticipate.

The report says tourism-related businesses have been affected. It does not quantify hotel occupancy, lost sales, cancelled reservations or employment changes, so the financial scale of the setback remains unclear.

Air access offers only a limited alternative

During the prolonged road closure, a limited number of tourists reached Mustang through the Pokhara–Jomsom air route, Khabarhub reports.

This establishes that some visitors continued arriving despite the interruption to road access. It does not establish how many passengers travelled, how many flights operated or whether additional services were available.

The source provides no evidence that air travel could accommodate the visitors unable to arrive by road. Claims about airline capacity shortages, higher fares or widespread flight cancellations would therefore go beyond the available information.

What the figures mean for travellers

The report describes a destination where the main road has reopened but travel movement has not fully normalised. Visitors should obtain current information before committing to departure arrangements.

Useful checks include:

• Confirming the condition of the intended road route.
• Checking booked flight and transfer arrangements directly with providers.
• Asking accommodation providers about arrival logistics.
• Understanding cancellation and rescheduling terms.

These are practical planning steps, rather than evidence of a new official restriction. Khabarhub’s report does not announce a tourism ban, a permit change or a district-wide closure to visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Beni–Jomsom highway still completely closed?

Khabarhub reports that repairs allowed the highway to reopen, although traffic had not returned to normal. Travellers need a current operational update before departure.

Can tourists reach Mustang by air?

The report says some tourists used the Pokhara–Jomsom air route during the road closure. It does not confirm current schedules or seat availability.

Did Mustang’s quarterly arrivals fall by 75%?

No. Khabarhub reports a 41.52% quarterly decline. The approximately 75.4% decrease is calculated specifically from its Ashoj figures, comparing that month with the same month last year.

Recovery depends on restoring dependable access

Mustang’s reported downturn shows how quickly a promising start can give way to a difficult tourism season when access is disrupted. The quarterly headline captures the overall decline, while the Ashoj figures expose the sharper autumn setback. Highway repairs are an important development, but the source says normal traffic has yet to return. Businesses now need dependable visitor movement, rather than reopening alone, to support activity. For travellers, current transport information remains essential. Further police clarification is also needed to reconcile the previous-year totals and provide a firmer statistical basis for assessing the district’s performance over the coming reporting periods.