The global religious tourism industry is expected to reach $2.2 billion by 2032, with India, led by the iconic sites of Uttar Pradesh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision, expected to account for a significant portion of this growth.
Notable locations in the state include Maa Vindhyavasini Dham, Chitrakoot, a crucial location during Lord Ram’s exile, Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, and Kashi, the sacred city of Lord Shiva, which is regarded as separate from the three worlds.
Religious and spiritual tourism also heavily relies on Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan, and Tirthraj Prayagraj, all of which are teeming with the memories of cowherds, Radha, and Shri Krishna.
CM Yogi’s efforts, in line with his vision and commitment to preserve, promote and develop the spiritual and cultural treasures of Uttar Pradesh, have already started bearing fruit, as evidenced by the transformation of several sites into major tourist hubs.
More than 10 crore tourists and devotees visited Varanasi and the surrounding areas in 2023 alone, demonstrating the incredible boost to tourism brought about by the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
In a similar vein, Ayodhya has become a worldwide destination since the construction of the magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ram on Ram Janmabhoomi. An estimated 1 to 1.5 lakh tourists and devotees visit Ayodhya every day, which is more than the number of people who visit other significant religious sites in the nation.
Approximately one lakh tourists and devotees visit the Golden Temple, the Sikhs’ holiest site in Punjab, each day on average, while 32,000 to 40,000 devotees visit Maa Maa Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir.
These numbers demonstrate how CM Adityanath’s efforts to establish Uttar Pradesh as a hub for religious tourism have had an unparalleled effect.
Following NITI Aayog’s advice, the Yogi government plans to create a new religious area that includes Prayagraj and Varanasi. Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, and Bhadohi districts will all be part of this vast religious region, which will cover more than 22,000 square kilometers.
More than 2.38 crore people are anticipated to benefit from the project. Once implemented, this project will significantly increase the state’s religious tourism industry.
In addition, the Yogi government is giving industrial and infrastructure development top priority alongside religious tourism. The central government is supporting plans to create knowledge parks and industrial zones in Prayagraj and Varanasi, as well as an industrial sector between Ayodhya and Ramsnehi Ghat.
Furthermore, these projects will improve Purvanchal’s overall development and generate jobs for locals, a region that stands to benefit greatly from this all-encompassing strategy.
