Uttar Pradesh

• 23 Dec 2024

Ayodhya Overtakes Taj Mahal as UP's Top Tourist Destination (2024)

Why in News? 

Recently, Ayodhya overtook Agra (Taj Mahal) to become the most visited destination in Uttar Pradesh for 2024. 

Key Points 

• Ayodhya Becomes Top Destination 
  • Ayodhya attracted 135.5 million domestic tourists and 3,153 international visitors between January and September 2024. 
    • This spike in tourism is mainly driven by the inauguration of the Ram Temple, positioning the city as the epicenter of spiritual tourism in India. 
  • Ayodhya has seen a 70% increase in religious tour bookings, with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple drawing large crowds and expected to grow further during its anniversary celebrations in January 2025. 
• Agra (Taj Mahal) 
  • Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal, recorded 125.1 million visitors in 2024, with 115.9 million domestic and 924,000 international tourists. 
    • Taj Mahal continues to be a major draw for international tourists, with foreign arrivals increasing from 2.684 million in 2022-23 to 27.7 million in 2023-24. 
    • However, domestic visitor numbers to the Taj Mahal have slightly decreased by 193,000. 
• Tourism Growth in Uttar Pradesh 
  • Uttar Pradesh has seen a remarkable surge in tourism in 2024, with 476.1 million tourists visiting the state from January to September 2024. 
  • The state's tourism performance in 2024 is on track to surpass the 480 million tourists recorded in 2023. 
  • Apart from Ayodhya, other spiritual destinations in Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi (62 million domestic, 184,000 international), Mathura (68 million, 87,229 foreigners), Prayagraj (48 million), and Mirzapur (11.8 million), have also experienced significant growth in 2024. 
  • The Buddhist Circuit in Kushinagar saw 1.62 million visitors, including 153,000 international tourists, reflecting Uttar Pradesh's efforts to diversify its tourism beyond Ayodhya's spiritual appeal.