Ayodhya has been a major driver of Uttar Pradesh’s tourism boom, contributing significantly to the state’s sharp rise in visitor arrivals (Photo: Incredible India)
Ayodhya, a major spiritual tourism destination in Uttar Pradesh that is home to Ram Temple has recorded 164.42 million visitors in 2024, up from 6 million in 2020, marking a sharp tourism surge over four years driven by the inauguration of the Ram Temple and major infrastructure upgrades across the city.
In a press statement, the Press Information Bureau of the state government says that state tourism figures show that Ayodhya recorded more than 284,000 visitors in 2017, rising to 23.9 million in 2022, 57.5 million in 2023 and over 160 million in 2024. The growth momentum has continued into 2025, with the city recording more than 200 million visitors in the first quarter (Q1) alone, according to official data.
It adds that the expansion of transport infrastructure has been central to accommodating the increase in arrivals. The redevelopment of the Ayodhya Dham railway station, along with the inauguration of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, has significantly enhanced connectivity to the temple town. It currently connects Ayodhya with major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.
According to the statement, official data from the Uttar Pradesh government shows that total tourist footfall across the state increased from 237.5 million in 2017 to more than 1.1 billion in the Q1 of 2025. Ayodhya has accounted for a substantial share of that growth, with official figures indicating that nearly one in five domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh in recent years travelled to the temple town.
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The tourism surge has also created opportunities for businesses linked to hospitality, retail, transport and pilgrimage services. Local traders, hotel operators, transport providers and small businesses have reported increased demand as visitor numbers have grown. The rise in tourism has been associated with new investments and employment generation across sectors linked to the visitor economy.
According to a study published by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow in February on Ayodhya’s post-temple economy, the average daily earnings of a shopkeeper in the city have increased nearly fivefold, from around INR 400-500 a day before the recent tourism boom to approximately INR 2,500 a day.
The study further found significant appreciation in property values, with real estate prices rising by 25-40 pc across the city and by as much as five to ten times in areas surrounding the Ram Mandir. The increase in commercial activity has also translated into higher tax collections, with Ayodhya generating around INR 4 billion in Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue.