TBM Staff - Mumbai The number of tourists visiting Madhya Pradesh in 2023 was almost thrice as compared with the previous year (2022). The state has not only crossed the pre-Covid levels of tourist arrivals, but has also set an all-time record.
As per the MP Tourism Board, Ujjain accounted for almost half of the 11.21 crore tourists visiting the state last year.
A total of 8.90 crore tourists had visited the state in 2019. Then, the Covid -19 struck and due to the restrictions, the numbers fell to 2.14 crore in 2020 and 2.55 crore in 2021. As the pandemic ended, there was a slight increase in the number of visitors in 2022. A total of 3.41 crore Indians and foreigners visited the state in that year. However, 2023 broke all records, with the numbers increasing from 3.21 crore to 11.21 crore – an almost three-fold jump, reports Free Press Journal.
Never in the past had the state witnessed such a high turnout of tourists. Madhya Pradesh has tourist destinations of interest to the religious-minded, the wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers and to history and archaeology buffs. In 2023, Ujjain, the home of Mahakal, was the biggest draw. As many as 5.28 crore tourists visited the temple town, which was 47% of the total footfalls.
Maihar, with 1.68 crore visitors, was second. Along with Chitrakoot (90 lakh), Omkareshwar (35 lakh) and Salkanpur (25 lakh), Hindu religious places accounted for a total of 8.46 crore tourists. It means that three out of four persons visiting the state headed to places of pilgrimage.
