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Mustang Region & Kabaddi Series: Boosting Tourism

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Mustang Region & Kabaddi Series: Boosting Tourism

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History is closely related to Tibet's religion, culture, and olden times, having been the last forbidden Kingdom in the Himalayas. Now, Lo Manthang Nepal remains the only part of the world where real Tibetan culture is still well-preserved. Lo Manthang is the walled capital of Upper Mustang, lying in north Nepal. It was set on an isolated rugged plateau and hidden behind snow-covered Himalayan Mountains.
(Gurung, 2023)

The Kabaddi film series is further exposing the unique landscapes and rich culture of Mustang, Nepal. Particularly, the films of Kabaddi 4: The Final Match showed the beauty of Mustang, drawing viewers toward its rugged terrain and rich culture. It turned out to be a massive hit in Nepali cinema, indirectly promoting Mustang as one of the travel destinations.

(Brandguff 2022)

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While concrete visitor statistics linking the Kabaddi films to tourism growth are limited, Mustang's exposure through the series increased domestic and international interest. Viewers, drawn by the scenic landscapes featured in the films, have been motivated to visit the same locations, contributing to a rise in tourism. Mustang, already popular for trekking, gained further appeal as a film tourism destination.

In 2018, after the kabaddi series went viral, many domestic people wished to visit Mustang for its amazing landscape. The total 16,557 tourists visited Mustang from 2018 January to 2018 April alone. April saw the largest flow of 10,229. Likewise, April, 2018 recorded 9,615 tourists. A total of 13,998 tourists reached Mustang in May 2018. Likewise, a total 59,838 tourists visited Mustang in 2018. "The number of tourists increases in May. The flow continues until the end of mid-June," said Prem Basnet of the Office. Although there is no record of domestic tourists visiting Mustang, the number is estimated to double that of foreign tourists. Many factors helped to increase the tourism in destination but the kabaddi movie also played a major role in promoting the destination through its amazing story and cinematography. (Republica, 2019)

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Culture and Festivals of Upper Mustang (himalayan wonder walkers, 2022)

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This also includes the fact that tourism inflow, to an extent influenced by these films themselves, has brought in more economic benefits to the local economy. For a larger number of visitors, local businesses like hotels, restaurants, and tour operators have emerged as beneficiaries. The Kabaddi movies acted as a catalyst to highlight the potentiality of the region for tourism and helped boost the income of the native populace through tourism-related services.

The Kabaddi series mirrored the unique culture of Mustang, a blend of tradition and modernity. The culture depicted in the series encouraged the preservation and representation of the traditional way of life, enabling outsiders to understand Mustang's Tibetan influence in tradition. This has led to heightened awareness of local culture and customs as a result of exposure to Mustang's culture with more visitors.

While there was no direct marketing campaign for the Kabaddi series, these films have indeed served as a strong promotional tool for Mustang. It showcased beautiful, rugged landscapes of the region, positioning Mustang as a picturesque and exotic destination. This has therefore brought about a change in the perception of Mustang; not just a trekking destination but an area rich in culture that should be explored because of its cinematic scenery and local experiences.

(sharma, 2022)

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Kabaddi Series and Mustang: Enhancing Tourism Through Digital Content

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Kabaddi Series and Mustang: Enhancing Tourism Through Digital Content

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The Kabaddi film series has been one of the influential factors in boosting tourism in Mustang through beautiful scenery and culture. Though there hasn't been any large-scale digital marketing campaign directly related to these films, social media platforms have become important for promotional purposes in this region. Right after the announcement of Kabaddi 4, fan and influencer engagements on Mustang began on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok with hashtags like #KabaddiNepal and #MustangNepal. Such posts, along with travel vlogs and blogs, create organic popularity for Mustang as a film tourism destination. Additionally, travel agencies have used the storyline of Kabaddi in marketing Mustang through offering Mustang-themed tours of the filming locations and adding value to the visitor experience besides the traditional trekking tourism.

These online activities helped change the image of Mustang and attracted more visitors by relating to the cultural aftermath of the Kabaddi series, thus contributing further to the local economy and increasing tourism. ​

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Enhancing Mustang Tourism with Digital Innovation Linked to Kabaddi Series

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Enhancing Mustang Tourism with Digital Innovation Linked to Kabaddi Series

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Further development of the promotion of Mustang through the Kabaddi series can be done by developing new digital tourism products, including the development of an AR app bringing movie scenes to life across the iconic locations of the film. This application provides an opportunity for visitors to experience key moments from the Kabaddi films in real time and interacts and connects the film with the destination. An app for a digital guided tour, with maps and behind-the-scenes content from the Kabaddi series, could also provide personalized, self-paced tours. Social media campaign: Encourage visitors to share their experiences and reenact scenes using hashtag #ExploreKabaddiMustang as a means of increasing Mustang's digital presence and appeal as a film tourism destination. Along with travel vlogs and blogs, these posts have created a ripple effect in popularizing Mustang as a destination for film tourism. Several trekking agencies have also adapted elements of the Kabaddi storyline into their marketing strategies, offering themed tours of Mustang's filming locations to enhance the visitor experience and expand tourism beyond traditional trekking.

This has, in return, helped reshape the image of Mustang by attracting more visitors, linking it with the cultural effect of the Kabaddi series and further helping the economy of the local people for tourism growth. (limbu, 2022)

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Bishnu Sharma(2022) Kabaddi 4 director Ram Babu Gurung. kathmandu. onlinekhabar

Paul Gurung(2023) Mustang - The Last Forbidden Kingdom in the Himalayas. Kathmandu. Discovery World Trekking

Republica(2019) Tourist flow to Mustang increasing. Mustang. Republica

Brandguff(2022) Reasons why Kabaddi 4 is the highest-grossing Nepali movie. Kathmandu. Brandguff

Nesum Limbu (2022) Against all odds, Kabaddi 4 draws crowds. kathmandu. nepalminute

Himalayan Wonder Walker, (2022) Culture and Festivals of Upper Mustang. Available at: https://hwwtreks.com/blog/7-reasons-to-visit-upper-mustang

(Accessed:23th October)

Visit Nepa,(2022) Best Time to Visit Mustang. Available at: https://visitsnepal.com/product/mustang/

(Accessed:23th October)

mustangtreaknepal, (2021) Famous tourist attractions of Mustang Nepal. available at: https://www.mustangtreknepal.com/tourist-attractions-of-mustang-nepal

(Accessed:23th October)

Sunita sanjel, (2015) Nepali Film – Kabaddi Kabaddi. available at: https://filmsofnepal.com/nepali-film-kabaddi-kabaddi-2015/

(Accessed:23th October)

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Upper Mustang is favorite destination for many travelers within and beyond Nepal. Here are seven reasons to visit Upper Mustang. A before hand information for travelling or trekking to Mustang. So, that one can experience Upper Mustang with hassle free.