Uttar Pradesh continues to consolidate its position on the global tourism map setting new milestones each year. In 2022, the number of tourists visiting UP was 31.85 crore, while in the first nine months of 2023, over 32 crore tourists, including a significant number of international visitors.
Among the various destinations in the state, Kashi attracted the highest number of tourists while Prayagraj and Ayodhya witnessed arrival of crore visitors.
The year 2023 set a significant milestone for the state across diverse sectors. Achieving top positions in both the Central and state welfare schemes, the state also experienced notable progress in the field of tourism. From January to September 2023, the number of domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh was 31,91,95,206, and 9,54,866 foreign tourists also explored the state.
Notably, Varanasi, in particular, witnessed the highest number of tourist arrivals. From January to September, a total of 8,42,04,814 tourists visited Varanasi, with 8,40,71,726 being domestic tourists and 1,33,088 being international tourists.
After Kashi, Prayagraj emerged as the second choice for tourists. A total of 4,49,95,996 tourists visited here from January to September 2023. Among them, the number of domestic tourists was 4,49,93,289, while 2,707 foreign tourists also explored Prayagraj.
Similarly, Ayodhya secured the third position in terms of tourist arrivals. From January 23 to September 23, a total of 2,03,64,347 tourists visited Ayodhya. Among them, the number of domestic tourists was 2,03,62,713, while 1,634 were international tourists.
It is noteworthy that the highest number of tourists coming to Uttar Pradesh was recorded between January and July, ranging between 5.56 and 5.80 crore.