Uttar Pradesh, which is among the most sought after tourist destinations in India, is looking to employ artificial intelligence (AI) tools to monitor tourist footfall in the state.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath today directed officials to integrate CCTV cameras with AI tools to accurately log tourist footfall at various destinations.
At a function in the state capital, he inaugurated or laid foundation of 762 tourism development projects totaling Rs 2,758 crore.
In this address, the CM said the current annual influx of tourists is now more than the population of the state.
In 2022, the number of tourists visiting UP stood at nearly 320 million, which was a massive jump of 190 percent over 2021. UP’s current population is around 250 million.
“Today, we witness a new UP emerging. From a tourism perspective, our efforts extend beyond the development of individual sites; we strive to foster overall growth, ecosystem preservation, and employment opportunities. With clear government intentions and swift execution, we see tangible results,” he added.
“The improved security and law enforcement has reshaped perceptions of UP. The government’s decisions have yielded positive results. Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Kashi, Ayodhya Dham in Ayodhya, Naimish Tirtha in Naimish have been revitalised,” Yogi said.
He claimed that the hotels in UP tourist desintations including Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Prayagraj, and Gorakhpur log full occupanc, while taxi services are in high demand, markets have seen exponential growth, and restaurants are bustling with activity.
The CM noted UP, which was once reckoned as a ‘breaker’ in the country’s development, has emerged as a ‘breakthrough’ state.