Lucknow, December 29: The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department has achieved unprecedented success in the year 2025. As per the vision of the Chief Minister, due to the renovation of religious, cultural and historical sites and development of tourism facilities, Uttar Pradesh has achieved the first position in the country in domestic tourism and fourth position in foreign tourism.
According to the data of the Tourism Ministry of the Central Government, in the year 2025, over 137 crore domestic tourists arrived in the state, while 3.66 lakh foreign tourists visited the state.
The biggest reason for the arrival of the tourists to Uttar Pradesh was the Maha Kumbh 2025 held in Prayagraj, where, according to the Yogi government’s claims, a record number of over 660 million devotees arrived. Furthermore, destinations like Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura-Vrindavan, and Shravasti have now become major tourist destinations in the country.
In accordance with Chief Minister Yogi’s vision, new possibilities for religious and cultural tourism have developed in the state. Furthermore, the Tourism and Arts and Culture Departments have periodically organized events like Deepotsav, Rangotsav, Dev Deepawali, and Magh Mela, which have become major attractions for tourists from both India and abroad.
The Tourism Department is implementing projects worth โน1283.33 crore in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has been an important center of Indian culture and history. Tourist destinations neglected by previous governments before 2017 were not only revived during Yogi Adityanath’s tenure, but transportation, hospitality, and connectivity were strengthened. The airport, train-bus services, and hotel-homestay facilities have significantly increased the number of foreign tourists.
This year, the Tourism Department launched ambitious projects worth โน1,283.33 crore to promote tourism in the state. Among these are the beautification of the ghats of Varanasi, the construction of an integrated circuit house and convention center, the Kalinjar Integrated Road in Chitrakoot, and the development of tourist facilitation centers on the Ram Van Gaman Marg. Restoration of the Bhagwanpur Temple in Moradabad, Ajit Ashram Yoga Kunj (birthplace) in Shahjahanpur, Luvkush Kuti, Tretayug Bhoomi Kuti, Bharat Kothi, Sita Rasoi, and Kausalya Sthal in Valmikinagar is progressing rapidly. In the same vein, five new projects worth โน7 crore were initiated through district tourism units. Two projects were approved this year under the Chief Minister’s Tourism Development Cooperation Scheme, while four more are expected to receive approval soon.
The Tourism and Culture Department, in collaboration with other departments, has periodically organized numerous cultural events, which have elevated tourism in the state to new heights. This year’s largest event was the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj. A record number of tourists from India and abroad visited Prayagraj for the grand and magnificent Maha Kumbh.
Similarly, the grand Deepotsav in Ayodhya broke its own Guinness World Record for the number of lamps lit, while the world’s largest Ram Takht was also recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records during the Ramlila in Varanasi. Ram Katha, Kathak dance, 3-D holograms, and projection mapping captivated the audience at the Ganga Ghats. Meanwhile, on Holi, the Rangotsav in the Braj region, Chilka Holi in Ramnagar, Holi in Kashi, and Lathmar Holi in Mathura mesmerized tourists. In 2025, events such as the Ghaghra Festival, Brahma Festival, Makar Sankranti Festival, Dudhai Fair, Ghazipur Festival, Varanasi Festival, and Lalgarh Fair in Chitrakoot led to a significant increase in tourist numbers, revenue, and local employment.
Investment proposals worth โน37,688.58 crore were received on the UP Tourism Portal
The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Policy-2022, formulated under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ensured the multifaceted development of tourism in the state. Under this policy, 1,757 tourism units have been registered on up-tourismportal.in, and investment proposals worth โน37,688.58 crore have been received.
Furthermore, the Tourism Department participated in international forums such as the Zurich Travel Mart, Global Travel Market-2025, Paris Fashion Week, GTAC Tokyo-Sydney, ITB Asia, and FITUUR-2025 to promote Uttar Pradesh’s tourism. Additionally, participation in ITB India, GTA Patna-Lucknow-Mumbai-Chennai-Delhi, and Expo Jaipur, among other national events, increased publicity.
Emphasizing youth empowerment, the Tourism Department implemented the Chief Minister’s Tourism Fellowship Program, which provided training to youth. Youth tourism teams were also formed in all 75 districts of the state, raising awareness about providing tourist amenities and cultural preservation.
In addition, the Tourism Department, in collaboration with the Government of India, conducts 17 travel and tourism courses, providing employment opportunities for the state’s youth as tourist guides, air hostesses, cabin crew, and in the hotel sector. Phase 2 of the Convention and Exhibition Center in Shahjahanpur, costing โน46 crore, is nearly complete. Under the Youth Travel Mart, youth tourism teams assisted tourists at major tourist destinations and events in Ayodhya, Bareilly, Chandauli, Shahjahanpur, Varanasi, Farrukhabad, Prayagraj, and Lucknow.
In an effort to spread awareness and preserve heritage, the Tourism Department organized school quizzes and photo competitions in major cities across the state. On World Tourism Day, young people from 11 Lucknow schools were taken on a tour of major tourist destinations.
A state government spokesperson stated that under the central government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme-2.0, Azad Park, a Knowledge Hub in Prayagraj, and a Buddhist Museum in Shravasti are being developed. Additionally, under the Ministry of Finance’s “Museum and Heritage Cluster Phase-1,” sites from the 1857 War of Independence in Kanpur, the Nawabganj Temple in Sultanpur-Farrukhabad, and the Maa Kamakshi Devi Temple in Chitrakoot are being developed. An integrated project worth โน268 lakh is being completed in Hardoi. In line with the Chief Minister’s vision, the homestay scheme being developed by the department has increased self-employment, while rural tourism is promoting folk songs, music, cuisine, and traditions.
He explained that due to the efforts of the Yogi government, Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a global tourism hub. The transformation of its religious, cultural, and historical sites has become a major attraction for tourists worldwide. This is not only bringing economic growth to the state but also preserving its cultural heritage.