Uttar Pradesh has achieved a monumental tourism milestone, welcoming over 120 crore visitors by September 2025. However, this impressive figure reveals a significant geographical imbalance in tourist distribution across the state.
The Challenge of Skewed Footfall
While the total number is staggering, a deep dive into the data shows a concentration of tourists in a few key areas. Approximately 67% of all visitors are flocking to just five iconic cities: Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura, Prayagraj, and Agra. In contrast, other promising destinations with immense potential, such as Mirzapur, Chitrakoot, and Jhansi, collectively account for only about 10% of the total footfall.
Further complicating the growth narrative, the state capital, Lucknow, which is a major urban hub, attracts a mere 1.3% of the total visitors. Additionally, while domestic tourism is driving the sector's expansion, the number of foreign tourist arrivals has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
A Strategic Workshop for Viksit Uttar Pradesh
Recognizing these issues as barriers to achieving the Viksit Bharat Viksit UP goals, the state's tourism department took decisive action. On Wednesday, they convened the Viksit Uttar Pradesh @ 2047 Tourism Workshop in Lucknow.
The event brought together a powerful assembly of senior government leaders, national experts, and key stakeholders from organizations like INTACH and IIT Kanpur. The collective mission was to craft a long-term, sustainable vision for the rapidly evolving tourism sector.
Official Insights and The Path Forward
Amrit Abhijat, Principal Secretary of Tourism, emphasized the need for a nuanced approach. "UP has recorded remarkable growth over the past decade. But maximum benefits from this rise can be reaped only when we go down the layers, identify the loopholes like the ones flagged above, and plug them on time," he told TOI. He added that the department is studying best-in-class solutions to develop a tailor-made strategy for the state.
Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary of Planning and Programme Implementation, highlighted the economic opportunity. "The footfall is extremely heartening. But it's important to make most of these visitors spend 2-3 days in the state so that they contribute to UP's Artha Shakti. For this, UP will have to offer something for every member of the family unit."
Other officials, including Awanish Awasthi (Advisor to the CM) and Manoj Kumar Singh (CEO, State Transformation Commission), stressed the importance of enhanced coordination and a sharper global focus. The workshop was opened by Rajesh Kumar, DG Tourism, setting the stage for a transformative roadmap for Uttar Pradesh's tourism future.
