Infrastructure alone won’t suffice to attract Buddhist tourists, the Union Tourism & Culture Minister said, during the Bodhi Yatra organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department. He said collaborative discussions with state governments and industry will be pivotal in shaping the transformative tourism offerings.
In his maiden address at the UP Tourism’s Bodhi Yatra conclave in New Delhi, the newly appointed Tourism & Culture Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while presenting compelling statistics, underscored the urgent need for creating holistic tourism experiences in India, focusing particularly on the Buddha circuit destinations.
“Currently, only 0.005% of the global population who follow Buddhism visit the Buddha circuit destinations in India,” the minister revealed, emphasising the untapped potential of the spiritual pilgrimage route. “If we collectively enhance our efforts and increase this figure to 0.05%, we could welcome over 2.3 million visitors annually,” he projected.
India’s global influence and economic prowess are undeniable. Recognising this, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strategically developed circuits across the country to cater to increasing global interest and Buddhist circuit is one of them, the Minister affirmed. “While these circuits lay the foundation for growth, it’s essential to understand that infrastructure alone won’t suffice to attract Buddhist tourists,” he added.
“Buddhist pilgrimage is unique in its essence. When pilgrims visit these sacred sites, they seek not just to sightsee but to immerse themselves in meditation and contemplation. They yearn for deeper engagement and meaningful experiences. To foster sustainable tourism growth, it is imperative to create comprehensive and holistic experiences. We must envision cities as ecosystems that resonate with the teachings of Buddha, ensuring that every visitor departs feeling spiritually enriched,” he elaborated. “Moving forward, collaborative discussions with state governments and industry stakeholders will be pivotal in shaping these transformative tourism offerings,” he said.
The minister further highlighted that globally, perceptions of India are evolving rapidly. “India is now increasingly recognised as a land of boundless opportunities, particularly in tourism. From dense forests to vibrant wildlife, and offerings ranging from religious and philosophical tourism to immersive experiences—India stands poised to cater to every kind of appetite of tourist interests,” he elaborated. “Culturally, India has historically intertwined with its neighbours, sharing common legacies, ideas, beliefs, and a rich heritage,” he emphasised.
Reflecting on country’s cultural significance, the minister commended Uttar Pradesh’s proactive approach under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in realising these ambitions. The minister also lauded Uttar Pradesh’s progressive tourism policies, noting their potential to rival traditional tourism leaders like Rajasthan. “UP’s strategic land bank allotment and investor-friendly initiatives and policies are poised to attract significant investments and elevate the state as a tourism hub,” he observed, while lauding the insightful presentations and engagement initiatives being offered by the UP govt.
During the event, UP tourism department also presented the investment opportunities in the Buddhist Circuit highlighting that about 205 investible projects worth INR 580 billion were already signed during the Global Investment Summit 2023. For land availability in key areas like Kushinagar, Sankisa, Kaushambi and more, a total of 179.77 acres are available across these key sites, with 100% FDI in the tourism sector under UP Tourism Land Lease Policy 2024. Besides these, ongoing/ operational projects in Buddhist locations including Last Mile connectivity projects, tourist info centres, Buddhist Theme Park and more were also showcased during the presentation.
UP’s focus on attracting Buddhist pilgrims from India and abroad in large numbers
During the Bodhi Yatra organised to highlight Uttar Pradesh’s significance as a Buddhist pilgrimage and the tourism potential of the state, Minister of Tourism and Culture for Uttar Pradesh Jaiveer Singh said, “Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state in terms of area. It is the largest state with a population of 25 crores and is equal to the fifth country in the world in terms of population. Fortunately, all the places from the birth of Lord Buddha to his education, attainment of knowledge, preaching and religious awakening campaigns and Mahaparinirvana (death) are located here. We are developing the Buddhist circuit propagating the strong historical, cultural and spiritual ties of Buddhism with Uttar Pradesh on the world map and attracting Buddhist pilgrims from India and abroad in large numbers.”
Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Principal Secretary, UP’s Department of Tourism and Culture highlighting the objective of Bodhi Yatra said, “We wanted to reveal the spiritual and cultural connection with different countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia and improve cultural diplomacy with the support of the Ministry Of External affairs and promote Foreign Direct Investment in the state. We have already allotted 2 acres of land in Varanasi to Bhutan Govt. for the construction of temples and guest houses. Through this platform we also offer all the other countries to invest in the hospitality and tourism sector of all these six sites and we assure you that we will provide all the cooperation needed.”
He also acknowledged that Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a popular tourist destination attaining number one spot in domestic tourism and expressed hopes in attracting a higher number of inbound foreign tourists as well in near future. Notably, UP has also been ranked under the globally acclaimed religious tourism destination in India, also having 12 tourism circuits and 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
During the conclave, an interactive session was also held to explore various initiatives and strategies to promote the historical and spiritual sites in UP, particularly focusing on attracting foreign tourists. Sharing their thoughts, Ambassador of Singapore, Simon Wong, Ambassador of Thailand, Pattarat Hongtong, Ambassador of Myanmar, Moe Kyaw Aung and others spoke of India’s strong international ties. They proposed various measures, including enhancing connectivity with neighboring countries, initiating new investment projects, improving the visibility and accessibility of Buddhist pilgrimage destinations on websites, and enhancing basic amenities along the pilgrimage routes. These suggestions were put forth to the state tourism department for consideration and action.
Bodhi Yatra in Delhi was also attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, V. Vidyavati, Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Durga Shankar Mishra, Special Secretary of Tourism, Eesha Priya, Director General of IBC, Abhijit Haldar and Former Deputy Speaker of CTA, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Director Tourism- UP, Prakhar Mishra, members of the International Buddhist Council, academicians, representatives of National and International organisations.
