Lucknow, Dec 6 (Representative) Consolidating its position on the global tourism map Uttar Pradesh achieved a new milestone as over 32 crore tourists, including a significant number of international visitors, explored the state in the first nine months of 2023.Among the various destinations in the state, Kashi attracted the highest number of tourists, while Prayagraj and Ayodhya also witnessed the arrival of crores of visitors. The year 2023 marked a significant milestone for UP across diverse sectors. Achieving top positions in both 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 UP was 31,91,95,206, and 9,54,866 foreign tourists also explored the state.
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 emerges 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 may be noted that the highest number of tourists coming to UP was recorded between January and July, ranging between 5.56 to 5.80 crore.