By Priyanjali Ghose
Before the gates of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya were opened to the public for the first time on January 23, thousands of devotees began gathering as early as 3 am braving the winter chill.
With a high footfall of pilgrims expected in the coming days, Ayodhya is all set to become a thriving tourist hub. According to a recent report by brokerage firm Jefferies, the temple town could attract over 50 million tourists per year. Experts project an additional business boom of Rs 50,000 crore. An SBI Research report released recently stated that the initiatives from the Uttar Pradesh government and the newly built Ram temple in Ayodhya could result in additional tax revenue of Rs 25,000 per annum for the state in FY25 due to increased visitors.
Hotel brands lining up
Currently, the city has 17 hotels with 590 rooms and 73 new hotels in the pipeline. The Jefferies report stated that 40 of these 73 hotels are already under construction. Various media reports state that Indian Hotels signed contracts for two new properties in Ayodhya, which will be operational in 2027, while ITC Hotels is exploring opportunities. Meanwhile, OYO will also add 1,000 hotel rooms in the city.
Divisional Commissioner of Ayodhya, Gaurav Dayal, told the media that 102 intent agreements worth Rs 18,000 crore were already signed for the city. He said around 50 well-known hotels have already invested in large-scale projects. These hotels include Taj, Marriott, Ginger, Oberoi, Trident, and Radisson. They will be operational soon. A report in the Economic Times stated that innovators Digital Ads will build Solitaire Ayodhya five-star hotel for Rs 100 crore, Evergreen Infrastructure will establish Shri Ramya Hotel with an investment of Rs 90 crore. Also, Samruddhi Swastik Trading and Investment will set up the “Vishranti Grah” at Rs 86 crore.
Spiritual pilgrimage
Many temple towns across the country have reportedly witnessed a boom in tourism in the post-Covid phases. Driven by infrastructure development, Ayodhya is likely to join the club. “There is a 5x upside in searches year-on-year and there are 4x more bookings compared to last year for Ayodhya. Now, room night bookings in Ayodhya are almost 10 percent of the top pilgrimage sites in the country so the potential for growth is significant,” Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group CEO of MakeMyTrip had recently told Moneycontrol.
The enhanced connectivity with the new airport, revamped railway station, connected flights and new Vande Bharat trains is expected to further push tourism in the city. Railway services company IRCTC also announced tour packages to Ayodhya.
Local homestays
Homestays with authentic Awadhi food at an affordable cost may also turn out to be another viable option for visitors. Ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol in Ram Mandir on January 22, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to the people to opt for homestay and assured them of all assistance. On January 17, 51 homestays and 600 paying guest facilities were inaugurated. Dayal said all the homestays and paying guest facilities were fully booked a day before the consecration ceremony.
A native of Ayodhya Neera Yadav, who runs a homestay in the Kaushlesh Puri area of the city, “Five rooms in my house have been converted into homestay. Tourists from Kerala, Telangana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan are staying here. They are enjoying Awadhi thali, nimona, fara, bhuja-chana and other edibles cooked in my kitchen. I have employed two cooks and the business is brisk. From a housewife I have graduated to an entrepreneur.”
According to a report by ANI, the city had registered 500 homestays with 1,800 rooms ahead of January 22. The state government has also launched the Divya Ayodhya mobile app via which tourists can book various accommodations, including homestays, hotels, and tent cities in Ayodhya.