Unveiling the Magnificence: Ram Mandir Opens its Gates in Ayodhya

Now that the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been inaugurated, the tourism industry in India’s new ‘Vatican City’ is about to witness a major boom. So, what do travel companies have in mind?

The doors of the Ram Mandir were joyously opened to the public on January 23. Presently, Ayodhya, nestled in the Hindi heartland of India, eagerly anticipates the influx of tourists from near and far.

Subsequent to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony conducted on January 22, the city is gearing up for an upswing in tourism, drawing not only devotees from all corners of India but also from various parts of the world.

The keen interest in visiting the temple has been duly acknowledged by the Indian travel industry, with numerous travel companies, online portals, and hotel chains acknowledging the significant business potential that Ayodhya now possesses.

This burgeoning interest is anticipated to drive a tourism surge, turning Ayodhya into a highly sought-after destination for both pilgrims and tourists alike.

When will the construction of Ram Mandir be completed?

The construction of Ram Mandir will be completed by December 2024. Right now, only the ground floor has been built. Work on the other two floors was resumed after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. The committee is aiming to complete work on the Ram temple within this year.

Spiritual tourism boom in Ayodhya

There has been a 97 per cent growth in searches for spiritual destinations on MakeMyTrip (travel portal) alone in the last two years.

Ayodhya topped the list of Top 10 pilgrimage and spiritual destinations in India in 2023-2024.
The list also includes destinations like Ujjain, Badrinath, Amarnath, Kedarnath and Mathura.
The peak search for Ayodhya was recorded on December 30, the day of the Ayodhya airport inauguration.
Data also revealed that in India, on-platform search for Ayodhya has increased by 1806% since the inauguration announcement.
Not just India, the fact that Ayodhya is being searched from across the globe will perhaps leave you startled.

Rajeev Kale, President and Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Temple Tourism has put Ayodhya in the spotlight like never before and this creates a significant opportunity for the destination. This is reflected in our online searches with an impressive upswing of over 1000 per cent.”

On New Year’s Eve, Ritesh Agarwal, the Founder and CEO of OYO, shared an interesting insight.