KATHMANDU: The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), which is well-known for its hiking opportunities, has seen a noticeable increase in visitors. 34,651 foreign visitors in the last three months suggest that interest in this well-liked resort is rising.
23,088 visitors were recorded in September alone, according to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). This is a notable rise over July and August, when there were just 5,249 and 6,314 tourists, respectively.
The ACAP's chief, Dr. Rabin Kadaria, mentioned that September and October are two of the busiest travel months in the region. This pattern emphasizes how the Annapurna region's tourism is seasonal, drawing a large number of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts during these months.
Upon deeper inspection, the tourist demographics for September show that 11,682 of the 11,406 tourists were from South Asian nations. This demonstrates the wide range of backgrounds of the visitors to the protected area.
3,383 tourists from the SAARC region and 2,931 tourists from other international regions made up the visitor breakdown for August. In July, the number of visitors was 3,350 from the SAARC region and 1,893 from other countries. This indicates a steady stream of both domestic and foreign visitors.
Several well-known trekking locations can be found in the Annapurna Conservation Area, including the Upper Mustang, Muktinath, Ghodepani in Myagdi, Mardi Himal, Ghandruk, Sikles, Khumaidanda, Tilicho Lake in Manang, Thorong Bhanjyang, and Annapurna Base Camp. Both domestic and foreign tourists prefer visiting these places.
A significant percentage of domestic passengers are also attracted by the ACA. The region's broad appeal is demonstrated by the 222,180 foreign tourists it received in the most recent fiscal year, of which 117,845 were from Asian countries and over 100,000 from other nations.
The increase in tourists to the Annapurna Conservation Area is a sign of both the region's increasing popularity as a hiking destination and the tourism sector's ongoing recovery following previous setbacks.
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