International tourists are being advised to postpone their plans to visit the newly constructed Ram Mandir as hundreds of thousands of devotees from within the country throng the temple daily in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the national body of the tourism industry, said there has been a significant increase in queries from NRIs and culture-oriented foreigners regarding visiting the much-revered iconic site since the praan pratishthaa on January 22, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The Ram Mandir has generated significant interest among overseas Indians, primarily Hindus,” Rajiv Mehra, president of IATO and owner of Uday Tours and Travels, told The Pioneer. Though the number of international tourists is currently fragmented, with individuals arriving independently, interest from tourist groups has been observed from countries such as the US, UK, Fiji, Malaysia, Suriname, and the West Caribbean, where third and fourth generations of Indians reside.

According to government data, there are more than 30 million NRIs across the globe. Players in the hospitality sector believe that if strategically tapped, this demographic could boost foreign exchange reserves and generate employment within the country. They emphasised that unlike domestic tourists, the holiday plans of tourists from abroad typically span months.

Senior vice president Rajnish Kaistha of the Association agreed, saying that the Ayodhya sector is emerging strongly worldwide as a religious and cultural hub. “With its profound cultural and religious significance, the newly constructed Ram Mandir has become a focal point for Hindus worldwide. NRIs are drawn to experience the spiritual ambiance, participate in rituals, and pay homage at this iconic site. As interest grows, NRIs are considering travel arrangements in Ayodhya and its surroundings,” Kaistha, who heads Paradise Holidays (I) Pvt Ltd, echoed Mehra’s sentiments.

“In fact, in 2022, we promoted Ayodhya as a religious tourism hotspot and took tour operators on familiarisation trips in the region so that they have knowledge about the product before it is ready,” he shared.

Kaistha added, “On our part, we are also facilitating familiarisation trips for tour operators in the region, ensuring they are well-versed with the destination even before its completion. Presently, we are pausing queries as the initial excitement surrounding Ayodhya’s development continues.”

“With the local administration primarily focused on domestic demand management, we are closely monitoring this evolving landscape,” he said. Additionally, we are actively enhancing our product knowledge by planning familiarisation tours on the Ramayana circuit comprising destinations such as Chitrakoot.

“NRIs are seeking guidance on travel arrangements, accommodations, and immersive experiences to make their visit to the Ram Mandir and Ayodhya memorable and spiritually fulfilling,” added Reetu Jain, Director of Coterie Tours Pvt Ltd.

The Ayodhya airport, now called the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister last December, will ensure international standard quality for visitors from abroad. The airport aims to cater to around 10 lakh passengers annually. Jain said not only Ayodhya but also the much-sought-after Ram Mandir has put the country on the global map. “This surge of interest reflects a deep connection that Indians living abroad have to their roots and a desire to partake in the sacred atmosphere of this iconic religious site.”

However, a section of tour operators dealing with inbound tourism feels that despite being a significant source of foreign revenue and job creation, the Overseas Promotion and Publicity scheme aimed at encouraging inbound tourists is being neglected.

They mentioned that the budget for overseas promotion has been consistently declining over the past two years - from Rs 300 crore to Rs 100 crore, and now to Rs 3 crore in the interim budget, while eight foreign offices have been shut down, as highlighted by a recent Parliamentary panel report.

The 15 destinations in the Ramayana circuit are Ayodhya, Shringverpur, and Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh, Sitamarhi, Buxar, and Darbhanga in Bihar, Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh, Nandigram in West Bengal, Mahendragiri in Odisha, Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, Bhadrachalam in Telangana, Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, Hampi in Karnataka, and Nashik and Nagpur in Maharashtra.