Foreign Tourist Footfall Also Increases to 23 Lakh – Jaiveer Singh
Lucknow, January 27, 2025
Uttar Pradesh co
ntinues to grow as a preferred tourist destination, with the latest data released by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department highlighting a remarkable increase in tourist footfall.
In 2024, the state witnessed a record-breaking 64.90 crore tourists, marking a significant increase of approximately 17 crore visitors compared to 2023.
Notably, Uttar Pradesh’s charm has extended beyond domestic boundaries, with an increase of around 7 lakh foreign tourists in a single year.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh shared these insights, emphasizing the state’s vast tourism potential and the consistent efforts to harness it. Since 2022, Uttar Pradesh has remained the top choice for domestic tourists and has also made significant strides in attracting international visitors. The development of both popular and lesser-known tourist destinations, along with enhanced tourist facilities, has been a key focus area for the government.
According to the data, Uttar Pradesh welcomed 64,90,76,213 tourists in 2024, compared to 48,01,27,191 in 2023, reflecting an impressive growth of 16,89,49,022. Inbound tourists arrivals rose from 16,01,503 in 2023 to 22,69,067 in 2024, registering an increase of 6,67,564.
Ayodhya emerged as a key driver of this growth, especially after the installation of Shri Ram Lalla at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. In 2024, Ayodhya saw an influx of 16,44,19,522 visitors, a sharp rise from 5,75,70,896 in 2023, reflecting a staggering increase of 10,68,48,626. Similarly, Varanasi recorded 11,00,97,743 visitors in 2024 compared to 10,18,67,618 in 2023, an increase of 82,30,125. Mathura saw 9,00,81,788 visitors in 2024, up from 7,79,27,299 in 2023, marking an increase of 1,21,54,489. Prayagraj also recorded growth, with 5,12,62,806 visitors in 2024 compared to 5,06,71,622 in 2023, an increase of 5,91,184.
Agra remained the top destination for international tourists in 2024, welcoming 1,77,75,561 visitors, including 14,65,814 foreign tourists. Varanasi attracted 11,00,97,743 visitors, of which 3,09,932 were from overseas. Kushinagar drew 22,42,913 visitors, including 2,51,251 international tourists. Mathura hosted 9,00,81,788 visitors, with 1,36,079 being foreign tourists, while Ayodhya saw 16,44,19,522 visitors, including 26,048 from abroad.
