The number of tourists going for trekking in the Annapurna region has decreased by 43 per cent this year with the decrease in the overall tourists turnover in the country, RSS reported.

The Annapurna region is the most acclaimed trekking route offering the view of snowcapped mountains to the north. The number of trekkers coming to the area has been decreasing gradually for the last two years.

Over 76,000 trekkers had visited the Annapurna Area in the year 2000. This number came down to 65,300 last year. The number of tourists going to the area by the end of November this year stood at 35,600.

“There have not been any untoward incidents in the area but the number seems to be going down because of the negative publicity of Nepal in foreign countries,” said Indira Baral, chairperson of Nepal Association of Trekking Agents, Pokhara chapter.