Rajasthan Ranks Fifth in Tourist Attractions Among Indian States

Rajasthan has emerged as the fifth most sought-after destination for tourists in the country, with a 7.1% and 8.8% share in domestic and international tourists, respectively. Principal Secretary (Tourism) Rajesh Yadav expressed concern over high room rates, which may lead to tourists opting for other destinations. According to the data, 180 million domestic tourists visited Rajasthan, while 1.70 million foreign tourists arrived in the state in 2023.

Key Takeaways:

• Rajasthan has been ranked as the fifth most popular state among tourists in India, with a 7.1% share in domestic tourists and an 8.8% share in international tourists.
• Principal Secretary (Tourism) Rajesh Yadav warned that high room rates could divert tourists to other destinations, highlighting the need for the industry to take note of Southeast Asian countries becoming cheaper alternatives.
• The state tourism department is working on introducing an 'adopt a monument scheme' to maintain monuments and make them more attractive for tourists, in line with the Union government's initiative.
• Yadav proposed identifying 1,000 villages out of 50,000 in the state to develop them as model villages for rural tourism and diversify the tourism movement from hotspots to new destinations.
• The Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart, organized by the tourism department and the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan, aims to connect over 1,000 tour operators, travel agents, and experience sellers for business-to-business meetings.
• Tourism Commissioner Rukmani Riar, FHTR Honorary Secretary Virendra Singh Shekhawat, and Senior Vice President Surendra Singh Shahpura highlighted various issues affecting the tourism industry.

Statistics:

• Rajasthan has a 7.1% share in domestic tourists and an 8.8% share in international tourists.
• In 2023, 180 million domestic tourists visited Rajasthan, contributing to the country's total 2,507 million domestic tourists.
• Rajasthan received 1.70 million foreign tourists, accounting for 9.1% of India's total 19.25 million foreign tourists in 2023.
• The state aims to develop 1,000 model villages for rural tourism out of nearly 50,000 villages in Rajasthan.
• Over 1,000 tour operators, travel agents, and experience sellers have been invited to participate in the Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart, with over 8,000 business-to-business meetings scheduled.

Sources:

• "Rajasthan Times" article citing Principal Secretary (Tourism) Rajesh Yadav
• "Jaipur Times" article featuring Rajasthan Tourism Commissioner Rukmani Riar
• "Times of India" article highlighting the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR) initiative