Lucknow,

22 Feb (HS): Uttar Pradesh has once again established a strong presence on the

global tourism map, setting new benchmarks as a hub of Buddhist faith and

heritage. In 2025, the state welcomed nearly 8.2 million visitors, including

over 440,000 foreign tourists, through its Buddhist circuit, attracting

pilgrims and tourists from around the world. Kushinagar, in particular, emerged

as a major international Buddhist tourism destination, recording the highest

influx of foreign pilgrims.

Tourism

and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh stated, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a

major center of global Buddhist faith. He explained that Buddhists from around

the world are prioritizing starting their Bodhi Yatra from Uttar

Pradesh, leading to a significant increase in inbound tourism in the state.

Devotees consider visiting sacred sites associated with the life and message of

Lord Buddha, such as Sarnath, Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Sankisa, Kaushambi, and

Kushinagar, as a sacred journey of life.

The

number of Buddhist tourists has increased year after year: The Tourism Minister

stated that under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar

Pradesh's tourism sector is continuously reaching new heights. He noted that

the number of tourists visiting the state's six sacred Buddhist sites has seen

significant year-over-year growth. In 2025, approximately 8.2 million tourists

visited these sites, including over 440,000 foreign tourists. In 2024, a total

of over 6.1 million tourists visited the state's Buddhist sites, including over

350,000 foreign visitors. In 2023, approximately 4.7 million tourists visited

the state's Buddhist circuit, including over 250,000 foreign tourists. In 2022,

over 2.24 million tourists visited Buddhist sites, including over 48,000

foreign tourists. Minister Jaiveer Singh stated that these figures clearly

demonstrate that Uttar Pradesh's Buddhist circuit is emerging as a major center

of global faith and attraction.

Kushinagar

becomes the first choice of foreign tourists: The multi-pronged strategy

adopted by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department to boost inbound tourism is now

yielding concrete results. It is due to this effort that the Buddhist circuit

of the state, especially Kushinagar, the place of Mahaparinirvana of Lord

Buddha, has emerged as the first choice for foreign tourists. In the year 2025,

more than 2.90 lakh foreign tourists were recorded arriving at this historical

site, which shows a significant increase compared to previous years. In the

year 2024, 2.14 lakh in 2023 and more than 41 thousand foreign tourists in 2022

gained spiritual experience by reaching the holy land of Kushinagar.

Buddhist

circuit adds a new dimension to inbound tourism: Minister Jaiveer Singh stated

that the Union Budget 2026-27 announced the inclusion of Sarnath, the site of

Lord Buddha's first sermon, among the country's 15 most prominent

archaeological sites and the development of Sarnath as an experimental

cultural destination. In this regard, a delegation of approximately 200

members will visit Uttar Pradesh in August. He explained that the existence of

Japanese Buddhist institutions in Sarnath and Kushinagar is a testament to the

decades-long spiritual ties between India and Japan. Similarly, a large number

of Buddhist tourists from other Buddhist countries, such as Sri Lanka,

Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and South Korea, visit Uttar

Pradesh annually. The state's tourism department regularly organizes trips for

citizens of these countries, tour and travel representatives, and industry

experts. Furthermore, participating in global events is ensuring Uttar

Pradesh's strong presence on the international Buddhist tourism map.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi