The burgeoning sector of religious tourism in India is exemplified by the Gujarat government’s pioneering initiative to introduce submarine tourism to explore the submerged city of Dwarka. The state government has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to commence submarine services for tourists, marking India’s inaugural underwater tourism facility. The project is slated to become operational by Diwali in October 2024.
The upcoming Dwarka submarine tourism initiative will be a pioneering venture in India, marking the country’s first underwater tourism experience. Historically, various religious sites have been developed to boost tourism and underscore the significance of spiritual locations. This new project aims to enhance that tradition by offering a unique perspective on the submerged city of Dwarka, further enriching India’s rich tapestry of spiritual tourism. Dwarka, according to legends, was submerged under the Arabian Sea as Lord Krishna departed from the world, marking the beginning of the Kali Yuga.
In the past few years, India has witnessed a jump in the number of tourists from other countries. Not only that, the number of domestic tourists has also increased. The number of foreign tourists who arrived in India this year during January-June stood at 43.80 lakh, which is 106 percent higher than the figure (21.24 lakh) for the corresponding period in 2022, reported India Today.
As far as domestic tourism is concerned, the figure stood at 677 million in 2021 and grew to 1,731 million in 2022 as per the data of the Tourism Ministry. The World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index ranked India 54th with a score of 4.1. Last year, the G-20 summit emphasised the growth of tourism in India, with leaders from various nations participating. This event showcased India as a premier destination for tourism.
The growing influence of religious tourism can also be checked by the growing number of tourists in Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj, where almost 14 crore people visited in the span of one year only. In 2022, Varanasi saw 82 million visitors, nearly four times the number in 2019. This accounted for about 26% of all arrivals in 2022, compared to less than 4% in 2019. Varanasi’s tourist footfall has surpassed that of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, making it the most visited city in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, a remarkable 1,439 million people participated in religious tourism in India in 2022, which is more than double the number of 677 million in 2021. This surge in participation led to religious tourism destinations earning Rs 1.34 lakh crore in revenue for 2022, a substantial increase from Rs 65,070 crore in 2021.
