Mustang. Tourism in the mountainous district of Mustang has also been affected after the development disaster in Bhotekoshi of Rasuwa on August 25.

According to the tourism statistics maintained by the District Police Office, Mustang, the number of domestic and foreign tourist arrivals has decreased in the month of August as compared to the corresponding month of the current year.

The number of tourists visiting Mustang has dropped abruptly after the Rasuwa floods, although the Kaligandaki corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) road was disrupted for dozens of times in the month of July due to flood, landslide and river erosion.

According to the police, 29,274 tourists decreased in the month of August as compared to the month of July of the current year. This is 47.78 percent less in August than in the previous month.

A total of 61,263 tourists, including 30,655 domestic tourists, 31,575 from SAARC and 193 from other countries, had visited Mustang in the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to data provided by the District Police Office, Mustang.

Similarly, a total of 31,989 tourists, including 16,503 domestic tourists, 15,138 from SAARC and 348 from other countries, visited Mustang in August this year. According to Santosh Basyal, information officer and police inspector at the District Police Office, Mustang, the number of domestic tourists has decreased by 14,152 (46.16) percent and the arrival of SAARC tourists by 16,437 (52.05) percent in August after the Rasuwa floods.

However, the number of tourists from domestic and SAARC countries has been decreasing and the number of tourists from other countries has increased compared to the previous month. Tourists from other countries visited Mustang from 193 other countries in August last year but in August the number of foreign tourists increased by 155 and in August 348 foreign tourists visited Mustang, said Police Inspector Basyal.

According to the District Police Office, Mustang, a total of 93,252 domestic and foreign tourists visited Mustang in July and August this year. According to Inspector Basyal, 47,158 domestic tourists, 46,713 SAARC tourists and 441 tourists from other countries visited Mustang in July and August.

Police Inspector Basyal said that the number of tourists visiting Mustang might have been less as all the Nepalese people were in mourning due to the Rasuwa flood incident of August 24. In the last fiscal year 2082/83, 19,781 tourists had visited Mustang and 23,205 tourists visited Mustang in August. Although the number of tourists increased in July and August this year compared to the last year, the number of tourists decreased in August as compared to the same period last year.