Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station and Maharishi Valmiki International Airport on Saturday. These inaugural ceremonies serve as a witness to Ayodhya’s progress in terms of infrastructural development with improved air, rail, and road connectivity.
Ayodhya is anticipated to be inundated by tourists following the inauguration of the Ram Mandir on January 22. The Ayodhya Development Authority expects 7,000 people to attend the inauguration and 3-5 lakh visitors every day for at least a month after the opening of the temple. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “When the construction and development works of the Ram temple in Ayodhya are completed in 2024, tourism to the city will increase by 10 times”.
Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department marked an incredible milestone with 8,342.7% annual tourism growth in 2022 when it recorded 2.36 crore domestic and 1,465 foreign visitors in Ayodhya district, up from 1.73 lakh domestic and 0 foreign visitor in 2021. About 30 lakh devotees visited Ayodhya on 2022 New Year, as per the official report. While on the first day of 2023, Ayodhya Police was prepared to manage about 50 lakh visitors.
As per the latest data of the department, Ayodhya district saw a considerable increase in tourism between 2017 and 2022 over the previous six years. The district saw 2.8 lahk domestic and 1,215 foreign tourists in 2017 compared to 3.1 lakh domestic and 1,292 foreign visitors in 2018, and 3.4 lakh domestic and 1,365 foreign tourists in 2019. The number decreased to 1.73 lakh domestic and 174 foreign visitors in 2020 and 2.82 lakh domestic and 0 foreign visitors in 2021. However, in 2022, it broke all records as about 2.39 crore domestic and 1,465 foreigner visitors in Ayodhya district.
Ayodhya has benefited in terms of its economy from the construction of the Ram Temple. Locals in Ayodhya district are also finding new job prospects as a result of an increasing number of tourists visiting the area. Several new stores have opened up around the area surrounding the temple, offering visitors a variety of local products. From micro- to large-scale business owners, all will get sources of income from the increased demand for accommodation, transportation, food, goods and services.
According to many travel agency sites, hotel rates have skyrocketed in Ayodhya ahead of the grand temple’s opening, and many of them are already booked. Ayodhya Tent City, which has 30 luxurious air-conditioned tents, are already sold out from January 20 to 27, with each tent costing between Rs 20,000 and 30,000 a night.
Comments
0 comment