Ayodhya surpasses Taj Mahal as UP's top tourist spot
What's the story
Uttar Pradesh saw a remarkable rise in tourism, drawing 476.1 million tourists between January and September 2024. Among the tourist destinations in the state, the city of Ayodhya was the most sought-after, overtaking the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. As per reports from the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, Ayodhya drew a whopping 135.5 million domestic tourists and 3,153 international tourists during the time period.
Spiritual draw
Ram temple inauguration boosts Ayodhya's tourist appeal
The inauguration of the Ram temple has been hailed as a major reason behind Ayodhya's surge in popularity. Agra, on the other hand, received 125.1 million visitors, including 115.9 million domestic and 924,000 international tourists. Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh lauded Uttar Pradesh's performance, saying that "Uttar Pradesh welcomed 480 million tourists last year," a feat almost achieved in just nine months this year.
Spiritual surge
Religious tourism on the rise in Uttar Pradesh
The boom in Uttar Pradesh's tourism can be largely credited to the increasing popularity of religious tourism. Mohan Sharma, a senior travel planner in Lucknow, called Ayodhya "the epicenter of spiritual tourism in India." He observed a whopping 70% rise in bookings for religious tours. Other spiritual destinations like Varanasi, Mathura, Prayagraj, and Mirzapur also witnessed a massive rise in footfall.
Iconic attraction
Taj Mahal retains popularity among international visitors
While domestic tourism saw a decline, the Taj Mahal remains a hit with international travelers. Agra's foreign arrivals rose from 2.684 million in 2022-23 to 27.70 million in 2023-24, while domestic numbers dropped by 193,000. Arvind Mehta, an Agra-based tour operator, noted that "foreign tourists still view the Taj Mahal as an unmissable icon," but domestic travelers are more keen on spiritual destinations like Ayodhya and Varanasi.