Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has strengthened its position on the global tourism map as a leading center of Buddhist faith and heritage, welcoming nearly 82 lakh visitors to its Buddhist Circuit in 2025. Of these, more than 4.40 lakh were foreign tourists, marking a new milestone in inbound tourism.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said Uttar Pradesh has become the preferred destination for the global ‘Bodhi Yatra,’ with devotees from across the world choosing to begin their spiritual journey in the state. Sacred sites associated with Lord Buddha’s life and teachings—including Sarnath, Kushinagar, Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Sankisa and Kaushambi—have witnessed consistent year-on-year growth in footfall.
According to official data, tourist arrivals at these six major Buddhist sites rose steadily over four years: from 22.40 lakh visitors in 2022 (including over 48,000 foreign tourists) to 47 lakh in 2023 (2.50 lakh foreign), 61 lakh in 2024 (3.50 lakh foreign), and nearly 82 lakh in 2025 (4.40 lakh foreign).
Kushinagar, the Mahaparinirvana site of Lord Buddha, has emerged as the top choice for international visitors, recording over 2.90 lakh foreign arrivals in 2025—up from 2.51 lakh in 2024, 2.14 lakh in 2023 and over 41,000 in 2022.
The minister highlighted that under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to boost inbound tourism. In the Union Budget 2026–27, Sarnath—where Buddha delivered his first sermon—has been selected among 15 key archaeological sites to be developed as an “Experimental Culture Destination.”
Uttar Pradesh Tourism is also organizing regular familiarization (FAM) trips and participating in international events to attract visitors from Buddhist-majority nations such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Vietnam and South Korea. With these sustained efforts, the Buddhist Circuit is scripting a new chapter in the state’s tourism-led growth story.
