: Thursday, March 26, 2026 3:09 PM
Lucknow . In Uttar Pradesh, faith and economy are complementing each other and giving a new direction to the development journey of tourism in the state. In this direction, the tourism policy prepared in accordance with the vision of CM Yogi Adityanath – 2022 along with the successful implementation of development of eco-tourism, infrastructural improvement in tourism facilities, better connectivity, strong law and order, airport, expressway and expansion of transport services have played an important role in the development of tourism in UP. Also, the ‘Temple and Festival Economy’ model of Yogi government is developing Uttar Pradesh as a global spiritual tourism hub. IIM Lucknow had conducted a study on tourism in Ayodhya some time ago. In this he has praised the temple economy of Yogi government. During the 9 years of Yogi government’s rule, Uttar Pradesh has registered remarkable progress in the field of tourism, which is testified by the tourism figures. In 2017, the first year of Yogi government, about 23.75 crore tourists came to UP, while in 2019 this number almost doubled to 54.06 crore. Although it recorded a decline during the Covid pandemic, the effective implementation of the Yogi government’s Tourism Policy-2022 led to a sharp recovery.
The result was that with 64.91 crore tourists in the year 2024, UP became the state with the highest number of domestic tourists in the country and fourth in terms of foreign tourists. Not only this, due to the organization of Mahakumbh-2025 in the year 2025, the number of tourists increased unprecedentedly to 156.18 crores.
It is noteworthy that in the last 9 years the number of tourists coming to UP has increased almost seven times. At present, UP’s share in national tourism has reached 21.9 percent, which is a notable sign towards making UP a center of global tourism.
Uttar Pradesh Tourism Policy-2022, realizing the vision of CM Yogi, has proved to bring about a radical change in the tourism-based economy in the state. Under this policy, investment based subsidy has been made to promote 22 activities including hotel, homestay, eco-tourism, wellness and adventure tourism, under which an investment target of Rs 36,681 crore has been achieved so far. Besides, registration certificates have been issued to more than 1,684 tourism units, resulting in creation of more than 5 lakh jobs in the state and a significant increase in the participation of women has also been recorded.
With the aim of strengthening religious and cultural tourism, various pilgrimage councils were created and rejuvenated in the state. Due to which, on one hand, the facilities for the devotees visiting the pilgrimage sites increased, and on the other hand, the tourism based economy in these areas was also promoted. In this, the formation of Ayodhya, Devipatan, Braj Teerth, Vindhyachal, Chitrakoot, Naimisharanya, and Shuk Teerth Development Councils is prominent. Along with this, more than 12 tourist circuits, Ramayana, Krishna, Buddhist, Jain, Sufi, and freedom struggle circuits etc. have been constructed in the state. Along with this, the widening and development of 83 religious routes has made the journey of devotees more convenient.
Tourism activities were promoted by preserving the cultural heritage of the state. In this, construction works like establishment of Bhatkhande Sanskriti University in Lucknow, Museum in Kaushambi, Babu KD Singh Museum in Barabanki, Gorkha Regiment Centre, Museum dedicated to the freedom struggle of 1857 in Meerut and Martyr Memorial in Gorakhpur are notable. Various projects like Azad Park in Prayagraj and the experience of ‘Dekho Prayagraj’ trail, development of Bundelkhand (Mahoba) as a heritage tourism destination, International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute in Ayodhya, Buddha Theme Park in Kushinagar, integrated tourism development of Bateshwar and Shravasti in Agra are proving to be the carriers of cultural prosperity along with tourism development in the state.
With the objective of promoting eco-tourism in the state, UP Eco-Tourism Board was formed in August 2022, through which facilities like night stay, watch tower, nature trail, cafeteria, homestay and bird watching have been developed in the major eco-tourism centers of the state, Dudhwa, Katarniaghat, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Amangarh and Sohgibarwa forest areas along with other natural habitats. 49 eco-tourism projects have been launched in the state, as well as 234 villages have been selected for rural tourism. Local participation is also being promoted by forming youth tourism clubs in all the districts of the state.
Not only this, the ‘Temple and Festival Economy’ model of Yogi government has proved to be the most influential factor in tourism development in UP. The most powerful example of this was seen in the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The number of tourists visiting Ayodhya has increased incredibly from 2.84 lakh in the year 2017 to 16.44 crore in the year 2024. Not only this, in the year 2025 also 29.95 crore devotees arrived in Ayodhya. In this sequence, the events of Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, Kumbh and Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj have given unprecedented boost to tourism in these pilgrimage areas. This model of the Yogi government was not limited to big cities, but from 2017 to 2025, 197 historical and holy sites were renovated, due to which a significant increase in tourism-generated business and employment was recorded in the state.
Festivals and celebrations in Uttar Pradesh have now taken the form of divine-grand festivals. In this, the Deepotsav of Ayodhya, Dev Deepawali of Varanasi and the Holi festival of Braj and Barsana of Mathura attract crowds of domestic and foreign tourists. Not only this, the 66.30 crore tourists who came to Prayagraj’s Mahakumbh-2025 broke all the world records. Along with these, regional events like Lakhri Fair of Lalitpur, Kartik Purnima Ganga Snan Fair of Bulandshahr, Nauchandi Fair of Meerut, Bateshwar Cattle Fair of Agra, Dadri Fair of Ballia have also been given a grand shape. These events directly benefit hotels, restaurants, retail, transportation, food and beverage industries, and the service sector.
This cultural renaissance and expansion of tourism facilities is poised to make Uttar Pradesh a global spiritual tourism hub. The biggest role in this is played by Yogi government’s Tourism Development Policy-2022 and ‘Temple and Festival Economy’ model. Not only this, in the last 9 years, Uttar Pradesh has reached the first position in terms of domestic tourism, leaving behind Rajasthan, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Besides, there is a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists coming to Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Prayagraj, the center of spiritual culture of India, which will establish Uttar Pradesh as a global spiritual tourism hub in the coming days.
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Web Title-Nine Years of Reconstruction: UP Shatters All Tourism Records, Emerges as the Leader in the Sector
