In 2024, the Annapurna Circuit Trek, one of the world’s top trekking routes, saw a total of 30,866 foreign tourists. This included 18,499 men, 12,362 women, and 5 individuals from other categories. The largest number of visitors came from France, Israel, Germany, and the UK, according to Bhupendra Gurung, the head of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Tourist Check and Information Center at Dharapani.
Among these, 1,567 men and 287 women came from SAARC countries, while the majority—16,932 men, 12,075 women, and five individuals from other nations—were from outside the SAARC region. The region, which had suffered from the slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced a gradual recovery in tourist numbers in recent years. The number of foreign tourists in 2024 was an increase of 9,619 visitors compared to 2023, when 21,247 tourists visited the area.
In 2022, 15,900 foreign tourists visited, a substantial increase from the 10,553 visitors in 2021. The pandemic had caused a drastic decline in 2020, with only 1,976 visitors, compared to 36,647 tourists in 2019. The Annapurna Circuit, known for its stunning landscapes, high-altitude passes, and cultural heritage, continues to attract trekkers, with many visiting to explore the Thorong La Pass and Tilicho Lake, the highest-altitude lake in the world.
The rise in tourists has notably boosted the hospitality industry along the circuit.
