Uttar Pradesh Breaks Tourism Records with 476.1 Million Visitors in 2024

Big records are being broken in Uttar Pradesh when it comes to tourists. An amazing 476.1 million people visited the state from January to September 2024, making it a new leader in India's tourism business. Spiritual tourism is becoming more and more popular, which is why there are so many more tourists. Ayodhya is now the most popular place to visit in the state.

Another report from Moneycontrol says that Ayodhya has now topped Agra's famous Taj Mahal in terms of the number of visitors. Ayodhya had over 3,000 tourists from other countries and 135.5 million people from within India, according to the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department. The opening of the Ram Temple is the main reason for this rise. It has made Ayodhya a major spiritual centre that draws people from all over the country and even other countries.

At the same time, Agra, which is home to the famous Taj Mahal, is still a major tourist destination in the state. In 2024, 125.1 million people came to the city, including 924,000 from outside of China. There were a few fewer Indian tourists in Agra than in previous years, but the number of tourists from other countries kept going up. Even so, the Taj Mahal's timeless beauty makes Agra a top vacation destination for people from all over the world.

Uttar Pradesh's tourist Minister, Jaiveer Singh, was positive about the state's tourist growth and said that the state is on track to get more visitors than last year's 480 million. He said that religious tourism was a big part of this rise, and that Ayodhya was the centre of this boom. Ayodhya is the "epicentre of spiritual tourism in India," according to Mohan Sharma, a senior travel manager. This shows how important it is to the millions of people who come to India looking for spiritual experiences.

Ayodhya isn't the only holy site in Uttar Pradesh that has grown a lot. Varanasi, Mathura, and Prayagraj are some others. These cities are full of history and spirituality, and they continue to draw millions of tourists from all over the world who want to experience India's rich cultural and religious past.

Agra is still the most popular place for tourists from other countries, but Ayodhya is becoming more popular with tourists from India. In fact, the number of foreign tourists coming to Agra has kept going up and will hit 27.7 million in 2023-24. Agra-based tour provider Arvind Mehta said that while domestic tourism in the city has slightly dropped, many domestic travellers are going to places like Ayodhya and Varanasi to learn more about religion. Indians are becoming more and more interested in these places because they have a deeper link to the country's religious roots.

Along with the attractions, the state's better infrastructure is also a big reason for the rise in tourists. Uttar Pradesh has put a lot of money into improving places to stay, ways to get around, and organised tour services. These changes have made it easier and more fun for visitors to move around the state. The record-breaking number of people has also been helped by big events like the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple. As the anniversary of the opening of the Ram Temple draws near, the site is expected to grow even more. The state is also expecting a lot of people who want to see how it is changing.

Uttar Pradesh's tourism success story shows that the state is making the most of its spiritual and cultural history, which brings in millions of tourists from all over the world. Uttar Pradesh will continue to be an important part of India's tourism industry for many years to come thanks to its better facilities, growing number of spiritual sites, and dedication to making travel better.

--