Foreigner Trekkers is prohibited from entering Upper Mustang area on October 1.

[Ging]

Namaste!

***********Nepal news com***************
Locals of Upper Mustang have decided to bar foreign tourists from entering the area from October 1, according to media reports.
Upper Mustang Youth Society reportedly said that it was forced to take this decision as the government continued to exhibit flippancy towards the development of the Himalayan district.

more
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/business-a-economy/8551-upper-mustang-locals-warn-to-prohibit-entry-of-tourists-.html

[Petrus]

So a youth society has the power to close upper Mustang?

15000 tourists at $500 a shot = 100 000 000 dollars? Nice math...

Seriously though: it is easy enough to belive that the locals have not seen any money. It is Nepal after all.

[Andrew]

Good for them! Tenting trekking groups are completely independent and hardly leave any money there and the permit fees disappear somewhere. Don't blame them one bit.

[Ging]

**************eKantipur**************

According to Annapurna Conservation Area Project, the government has collected more than Rs. 770 million in revenue through tourism from Upper Mustang, which started from 1993.

http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/28/business/upper-mustang-out-of-bounds/321301/

[Petrus]

That figure can not be right. 15000 tourists in 17 years is a believable number, but makes only 7.5M$, not 100M$ at $500/head.

It could be 770 lakh Rupees = 77 million Rupees. Translation error.

[Ging]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-2007 (700US$/person)
11,979 trekkers
11,979 x 700 US$ = 8,385,300 US$

2008-2009 (500US$/person: July 16 2008 revision )
3,956 trekkers
3,956 x 500 US$ = 1,978,000 US$

8,385,300 US$ + 1,978,000 US$ = 10,363,300 US$
10,363,300 US$ x Rs.75/1US$ = Rs.777,247,500 (777 million)

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768 foreigners entered Upper Mustang in 1993,
777 in 1994,
840 in 1995,
883 in 1996,
753 in 1997,
789 in 1998,
1027 in 1999,
1069 in 2000,
922 in 2001,
563 in 2002,
572 in 2003,
825 in 2004,
661 in 2005,
248 in 2006,
1,282 in 2007,
2,194 in 2008
and 1,762 in 2009. 


source: Himalayan Times
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Tourists+unwelcome+in+Upper+ Mustang+&NewsID=254512

[Petrus]

My bad, unbelivable! 10M$ is about 770 M rupees, yes.

770 MNRS is a huge load of money in Nepal. No wonder people are mad.

[yakshaver]

Amazing indeed!

[Ging]

Ban on tourists to Upper Mustang lifted
2010-09-26

The people of Upper Mustang have decided to withdraw their decision to prohibit the entry of tourists to the Upper Mustang after the government assured to address the demands raised by them. "The government has, albeit lately, addressed the demands raised by the people of Upper Mustang. Keeping in view the upcoming Nepal Tourism Year 2011 campaign, special requests by TAAN and negative impact that the decision could make in our tourism industry, we have decided to completely withdraw our decision of prohibiting the entry of tourists to the Upper Mustang from October 1," read a statement issued by the Upper Mustang Youth Society on Sunday.

The Society further said that they would like to assure tourism entrepreneurs and concerned stakeholders that "tourism activities in Upper Mustang will continue as usual without any hindrance."After the government failed to allocate 60 percent of total revenue collected from tourism activities in the Upper Mustang area for the development of the area and wellbeing of the local population as per the decision taken on July 13, 2006, Upper Mustang Youth Society decided to bar the entry of tourists to the area from coming October Following the series of meetings and initiative from stakeholders, especially TAAN, the Ministry of Finance on September 17 issued a letter, assuring the people of Upper Mustang that it would made budgetary allocations for the region in the coming days as per the government's decision made on July 13, 2006.

TAAN:http://www.taan.org.np/news_details1.php?nid=1170&PHPSESSID=a0a05c20f14732046c1379d8c43d6d87

[yakshaver]

Thanks. Good news. Hopefully also for the people of Upper Mustang.