How Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for rise of spiritual tourism in Ayodhya

'When the construction and development works of the Ram temple in Ayodhya are completed in 2024, tourism to the city will increase tenfold,' said Yogi Adityanath

India is focused on the much-anticipated ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) of Ram Lalla idol at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

From the newly inaugurated Maharishi Valmiki Airport to the newly renovated railway station, the city has undergone major improvements in preparation for the temple's inauguration on January 22.

Large posters bearing a symbolic image of the upcoming Ram Mandir, the design of the new airport, and a message that hails Ayodhya as a city of “Maryada, Dharm and Sanskriti” have been placed across the temple town.

Experts believe that such measures will result in a massive increase in spiritual tourism.

 

Ayodhya's spiritual tourism boom

On New Year's Eve, Ritesh Agarwal, the founder and CEO of OYO, the country's largest chain of affordable hotels, released data proving Ayodhya's appeal as a travel destination, exceeding even well-known favourites like beaches or hills.

Na hills, na beaches!

80% more users are searching for stays in Ayodhya today! Seeing one of the highest spikes ???? #CheckIn2024

— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) December 31, 2023

He claimed that 80 per cent more users were looking for somewhere to stay in the holy city, one of the greatest increases on the platform. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Agarwal stated, "Ayodhya will be the biggest tourist place in India."

“Ayodhya saw a 70 per cent jump in OYO app users compared to 60 per cent in Nainital and 50 per cent in Goa. Holy destinations are now India’s favourite destinations,” Agarwal said, adding, “Spiritual tourism will be one of the biggest growth drivers of the tourism industry in the next five years.”

Holy destinations are now India's favourite destinations!????

Ayodhya saw a 70% jump in OYO app users vs Goa (50%) and Nainital (60%)

Spiritual tourism will be one of the biggest growth drivers of the tourism industry in the next 5 years. #CheckIn2024

— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) December 31, 2023

Prior to the Ram temple’s opening, hotel rates in Ayodhya reportedly skyrocketed and many are already booked. Ayodhya Tent City, with thirty opulent, air-conditioned tents priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 a night, is already sold out for the dates of January 20 to 27.

Hotel brands and investors are also shifting their focus to Ayodhya in anticipation of increased demand. The city now has five branded hotels in various phases of development.

Jaideep Dang, managing director of JLL's hotels and hospitality group, told the Times of India (ToI) that investments of around Rs 350 crore are planned for the construction of hotels in Ayodhya. Hotel companies such as Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) have already signed agreements, Dang added.

A consistent upward trend in Ayodhya

The inauguration of Ram temple is expected to draw 7,000 people. After the temple opens, the Ayodhya Development Authority is expecting 300,000- 500,000 visitors every day for the next month, a report by News18 said.

The news channel quoted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as saying, "When the construction and development works of the Ram temple in Ayodhya are completed in 2024, tourism to the city will increase tenfold."

The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department recorded 23.6 million domestic and 1,465 foreign tourists in the Ayodhya district in 2022, up from 173,000 domestic and zero foreign visitors in 2021, marking an incredible milestone with a rise in tourism of 8,342.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
 

According to the report, which cites government data, nearly 3 million people visited Ayodhya on New Year's Eve 2022. On the first day of 2023, Ayodhya Police were prepared to manage around 5 million visitors.

The city also saw a considerable increase in tourism between 2017 and 2022 when compared to the previous six years.

In 2017, the district received 280,000 domestic visitors and 1,215 international visitors.

By 2018, that figure had risen to 310,000 domestic visitors and 1,292 foreign visitors, and by 2019, it had risen to 340,000 domestic visitors and 1,365 foreign visitors.

By 2020 and 2021, it was reduced to 173,000 domestic visitors and 174 international visitors, and 282,000 domestic visitors and zero foreign visitors, respectively.

However, it shattered all prior records in 2022, with 23.9 million domestic and 1,465 foreign tourists visiting the Ayodhya district.

Trains to Temple town

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two new Amrit Bharat trains and six Vande Bharat trains.
 

अत्याधुनिक सुविधाओं से सुसज्जित पुनर्विकसित अयोध्या धाम जंक्शन का लोकार्पण गर्व से भर देने वाला है। आज जिन नई अमृत भारत और वंदे भारत ट्रेनों की शुरुआत हुई है, उनसे बड़ी संख्या में मेरे परिवारजनों की यात्रा ज्यादा सुगम और सुरक्षित होगी। अमृत भारत ट्रेन में युवाओं के साथ बातचीत ने… pic.twitter.com/ZJ5I5dWl8A

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2023

Amrit Bharat trains are a new kind of superfast passenger train that uses push-pull technology to improve both passenger comfort and speed. Meanwhile, the Vande Bharat Express will connect two prominent temples in Uttar Pradesh - Ram Janmabhoomi and Gorakhnath.

The semi-high-speed train will reduce travel time between Lucknow and Gorakhpur to a little over four hours, making Ayodhya just two hours away from both cities.

The Vande Bharat trains, which Prime Minister Modi flagged off on Saturday, will begin service on January 4. Six days a week, the train will run between Ayodhya and Delhi's Anand Vihar station, including stops in Kanpur and Lucknow. Three Vande Bharat trains— the other two being the Gorakhpur-Lucknow and New Delhi-Varanasi trains — will also leave from Uttar Pradesh.

New Ayodhya Airport

At a cost of more than Rs 1,450 crore, the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya is the 6,500 square metre airport terminal equipped to handle roughly 1 million passengers a year.

Airlines intend to provide service to and from major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad in order to accommodate the lakhs of people expected to visit the Ram Temple each day following the sacred event.

The impact of Ram temple on Ayodhya

The construction of the Ram Temple has already helped the economic condition in Ayodhya. The increasing number of tourists visiting the district creates new job opportunities for locals.

A number of new businesses have sprouted near the temple, offering tourists a variety of native handicrafts.

Every business owner, no matter how big or little, will also be able to profit from the increased demand for goods, services, lodging, and transportation.