With the domestic wedding industry growing by nearly 25 percent in 2023, Uttar Pradesh is pitching for an array of heritage destinations including forts for fat Indian weddings.
UP has emerged as the most favoured tourist destination logging a staggering 50 percent jump in tourist inflow to 480 million in 2023 over 2022.
Now, to propel UP in the tourism value chain, the #YogiAdityanath government is promoting the exclusive destinations for discerning tourists. This encompasses destination weddings, wellness and health tourism, ecotourism etc.
According to a report by Indian wedding planning website ‘WedMeGood’, the domestic wedding industry, burgeoning due to urbanisation, rising disposable income and social media, witnessed Rs 4.74 trillion in earnings in 2023.
WedMeGood released key findings from its annual survey to identify evolving trends and dynamics within the Indian wedding industry.
While UP’s tourism sector is attracting investors, with discussions underway for triangular pilgrimage packages covering Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Prayagraj, the state is also showcasing wedding destinations and health and wellness sector, UP tourism and culture principal secretary Mukesh Kumar Meshram said.
“Additionally, there is a growing interest for UP’s Sufi Circuit which is marked with extraordinary history, traditions, monuments, cruising and culture,” he added.
To reach out to the global backpackers and investors, UP participated in the recent Arabian Travel Market 2024 at Dubai and organised by the #Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DEAT).
Meshram said the UP Tourism pavilion attracted a daily influx of almost 6,000 visitors from different nationalities looking for prospective tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
While UP leads in case of domestic tourism, the state is upping the ante for a larger pie of inbound tourism, which could be achieved with efforts of all stakeholders including the government and hospitality players.
Meanwhile, UP has launched nearly 500 private sector tourism projects with an investment outlay of more than Rs 85,000 crore.
These projects in leading religious tourism hotspots viz. Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura-Vrindavan, Prayagraj, Kushinagar, Mirzapur etc pertain to hotels, resorts, guest houses, infrastructure development etc.
Of the total Rs 85,000 crore worth of projects, Rs 40,000 crore or 47 percent of the estimated investment will be injected in the top three religious tourism hubs namely #Ayodhya, #Varanasi and Mathura-Vrindavan.
They were part of the Rs 10 trillion worth of about 14,000 projects, which were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19, 2024 at the ceremony in Lucknow.