Spiritual Sojourn: Ayodhya Emerges as the Heartbeat of India’s Spiritual Tourism

In the evolving landscape of tourism, a profound shift toward spirituality has taken centre stage, with Ayodhya emerging as the beacon of spiritual destinations in India. 

Enhanced physical and digital infrastructure, from seamless transportation to communication at one’s fingertips, has propelled people to embark on meaningful journeys to explore India’s rich history.

Government estimates suggest that Uttar Pradesh witnessed an unprecedented surge in tourism, welcoming around 32 crore visitors in 2022, with Ayodhya alone hosting an impressive footfall of 2.21 crore. The collective expenditure by these tourists surpassed ₹2 lakh crore.

The recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 has ignited a fervour among people, driving a surge in bookings not only to Ayodhya but also to various spiritual destinations across the country. 

According to data from travel booking website Yatra.com, spiritual places like Ujjain, Badrinath, Amarnath, Kedarnath, Mathura, Dwarkadhish, Shirdi, Haridwar, and Bodhgaya have witnessed significant increases in bookings.

Ayodhya in particular has experienced a remarkable near-sixfold increase in bookings compared to the previous year. This trend extends to international tourists, with a 22.5% rise in plans to visit India from different parts of the globe. Notably, Gulf countries have shown a 22.2% increase, with Canada 9.3%, Nepal 6.6%, and Australia (6.1%) also showing an increase in tourists planning to explore India’s spiritual destinations. The spiritual allure of India is casting a global spell, inviting travellers to immerse themselves in its classic cultural and spiritual tapestry.