&w=3840&q=100)
India's heritage site footfall up 19% since 2019, ticket revenue down 2.83%
India's centrally protected ticketed monuments experienced an over 19 per cent surge in footfall in 2023-24 compared to the pre-pandemic levels but this did not translate into higher revenue from ticket sales, which dropped by 2.83 per cent, official data shows.
An analysis of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) data, presented in the Rajya Sabha, covering 143 monuments shows a complex recovery picture for these key heritage sites, contextualised by broader national trends reported in the Ministry of Tourism's 'India Tourism Data Compendium 2024'.
The total footfall across these listed monuments increased by 19.35 per cent from approximately 4.60 crore in 2019-20 to 5.49 crore in 2023-24, the data showed.
However, despite the surge in the number of visitors, the combined revenue from ticket sales at these monuments saw a decline of 2.83 per cent during the five-year period, dropping from Rs 312.54 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 303.70 crore in 2023-24.
This suggests a shift in the visitor composition at these sites. A direct comparison of visitor data for centrally protected ticketed monuments between 2019-20 and 2023-24 reveals divergent trends.
While domestic tourist visits surged by 21.75 per cent, from 4.36 crore in 2019-20 to 5.31 crore in 2023-24, foreign tourist visits decreased by 16.03 per cent, from 27.56 lakh in 2019-20 to 23.15 lakh in 2023-24, according to the data.
The increase in the domestic visitor segment, coupled with a decline in the number of higher-paying foreign visitors compared to the pre-pandemic levels, appears to be the primary factor behind the stagnant overall monument revenue despite higher total footfall.
This trend mirrors the national picture, where Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India in 2023 (95.2 lakh) recovered to only about 87 per cent of the 2019 levels.
The resulting lower average revenue per visitor at the monuments, likely stemming from this altered visitor mix and the ASI's differential pricing structure, aligns with the broader national context where Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism overall stood at USD 28.08 billion in 2023, lower than the 2019 peak of USD 30.72 billion.
The broader tourism sector remains a significant economic contributor nationally, with its total (direct + indirect) share estimated to be 5 per cent of the GDP and supporting 7.62 crore jobs in 2022-23, according to the Tourism Satellite Account data.
Performance varied dramatically across individual monuments.
While sites like Rajarani Temple (301 per cent), Ashokan Rock Edict (251 per cent) and Konark Sun Temple (53.5 per cent) saw massive revenue growth (2023-24 vs 2019-20), others like Tirumalai Nayak's Palace (98.2 per cent), Moovarkoil (90.1 per cent) and Agra Fort (47.2 per cent) saw sharp declines.
These stark differences likely stem from various site-specific factors which could range from restoration activities impacting access, changes in regional tourism promotion and infrastructure, or shifts in popular visitor circuits. Specific reasons for each monument's performance are not detailed in the analysed data.
The performance of iconic monuments underscores the trend.
The Taj Mahal saw the footfall jump by 31.27 per cent but the revenue rose only 1.48 per cent. Qutub Minar's footfall surged by 45.1 per cent and revenue by 18 per cent. Conversely, Humayun's Tomb saw footfall increased by 16.6 per cent while revenue dropped by 29.8 per cent.
According to the 'India Tourism Data Compendium 2024', the Taj Mahal was the most popular among visitors in 2023-24 with 61 lakh domestic and 6.8 lakh foreign tourists.
Konark Sun Temple (32 lakh) and Qutub Minar (31.2 lakh) were the next most popular among domestic tourists. For foreign visitors, it was Qutub Minar (2.2 lakh) and Agra Fort (2.18 lakh).
Visitor numbers, however, did not directly correlate with revenue generation.
The highest revenue earners among these monuments in 2023-24 were Taj Mahal (Rs 98.55 crore), Qutub Minar (Rs 23.80 crore), Red Fort (Rs 18.09 crore), Agra Fort (Rs 15.27 crore) and Konark Sun Temple (Rs 12.66 crore), according to ASI data.
The data specific to India's protected monuments paints a picture of resilient visitor appeal, particularly drawing huge numbers of domestic travellers post-pandemic.
However, the financial recovery at these sites, measured by ticket revenue, still lags behind pre-pandemic benchmarks, reflecting the significant impact of the reduced number of foreign visitors compared to 2019 and the overall altered tourism landscape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
ICICI relationship manager held for Rs 4.58 cr scam; used customers' money to trade derivatives
A 26-year-old ICICI Bank relationship manager in Kota, Rajasthan, was arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 4.58 crore from unsuspecting customers, including senior citizens between 2020 and 2023. She used the funds for speculative stock market trading in future and options (F&O), manipulating bank systems and customer information to conceal her actions. Read below to know more about this. Show more Show less
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Extreme poverty in India down to 5.3 pc in 2022-23: World Bank
India's extreme poverty rate declined sharply to 5.3 per cent over a decade from 27.1 per cent in 2011-12 even as the World Bank revised upwards its threshold poverty line to USD 3 per day. Given India's inflation rate between 2017 and 2021, a revised extreme poverty line of USD 3 would constitute a 15 per cent higher threshold than USD 2.15 expressed in 2021 prices and result in a 5.3 per cent poverty rate in 2022-23, the World Bank said in a report. In India, the report said, 54,695,832 people lived on less than USD 3 per day in 2024. Thus, the poverty rate at USD 3 per day (2021 PPP -- percentage population) is 5.44 per cent in 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Este es el aliado número 1 de los hombres con disfunción. Salud Masculina Undo The extreme poverty rate decreased from 16.2 to 2.3 per cent between 2011-12 and 2022-23, while the poverty rate at the lower middle income country (LMIC) line declined by 33.7 percentage points, it said. Free and subsidised food transfers supported poverty reduction, and the rural-urban poverty gap narrowed. The five most populous states account for 54 per cent of the extremely poor, it said. Live Events With regard to economy, the report said, real GDP of India was around 5 per cent below the pre-pandemic trend level as of FY25. Growth should gradually converge back to potential over 2027-28 assuming the current global uncertainties are resolved in an orderly fashion, it said. "The outlook, however, is subject to significant downside risks, as policy shifts may continue to unfold globally. Elevated trade tensions would dampen demand for India's exports and further delay the recovery in investment," it said. The current account deficit is expected to average around 1.2 per cent of GDP over FY26-28 and remain adequately financed by capital inflows, it said, adding that foreign exchange reserves are projected to remain stable around 16 per cent of GDP. India has lifted 171 million people from extreme poverty in the decade between 2011-12 and 2022-23, the World Bank said. "Over the past decade, India has significantly reduced poverty. Extreme poverty (living on less than USD 2.15 per day) fell from 16.2 per cent in 2011-12 to 2.3 per cent in 2022-23, lifting 171 million people above this line, the World Bank had said in its 'Poverty & Equity Brief' on India in April. The rural extreme poverty dropped from 18.4 per cent to 2.8 per cent, and urban from 10.7 per cent to 1.1 per cent, narrowing the rural-urban gap from 7.7 to 1.7 percentage points a 16 per cent annual decline, it had said.
India.com
42 minutes ago
- India.com
World's richest Muslim ever was much wealthier than Mukesh Ambani, Elon Musk, Adani, Tata, went to Mecca with gold worth…, name was...
World's richest Muslim ever was much wealthier than Mukesh Ambani, Elon Musk, Adani, Tata, went to Mecca with gold worth…, name was... With a net worth of Rs $335B, Elon Musk is the richest person according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This net worth, however, stands in abject comparison with the wealth of a historical figure. Did you know that history speaks of someone whose wealth outshines even today's richest figures like Mukesh Ambani, Elon Musk, Adani, and Tata? Well, the individual was Mansa Musa, the 14th-century emperor of the Mali Empire in West Africa, widely regarded as the richest person to have ever lived. Born in 1280 AD and crowned king in 1312 AD, he is considered to be the richest man to have ever lived. If his net worth is adjusted for inflation, it would be a mind-boggling $400 billion, dwarfing the wealth of today's top billionaires. Mansa Musa's reign made the Mali Empire a cultural and economic behemoth, covering present-day Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. The empire was abundant in natural resources, with gold and salt deposits in regions such as Bambuk, Bure, and Wangara creating immense riches. Mali's prime location on the trans-Saharan trade routes established it as a vital commercial nexus, linking Africa with Europe and the Middle East. Mansa Musa's famous pilgrimage to Mecca was so lavish that it caused significant economic disruptions, including inflation, in the areas he traveled through. Lucy Duran, a researcher from the School of African and Oriental Studies in London, emphasizes that Musa's generosity forms a fundamental part of his legacy, showcasing his unwavering commitment to distributing his wealth and aiding others on an extraordinary scale. Mansa Musa was renowned not just for his vast wealth but also for his remarkable generosity. One of the most extraordinary events in his life was his legendary pilgrimage to Mecca, considered one of the most lavish journeys ever recorded. His caravan was unmatched in scale, featuring 100 camels carrying gold, 12,000 attendants, and a procession of 60,000 enslaved people. Historical records estimate that he carried around 18 tonnes of gold—an astonishing amount worth nearly $957 million in 2022. This pilgrimage showcased Musa's incredible riches and firmly established his status as a figure of global importance. As Mansa Musa journeyed through cities like Cairo, his extravagant distribution of gold poured immense wealth into the local economy. However, this sudden surge in currency supply led to unforeseen consequences—triggering inflation and a short-term drop in the value of gold. While his generosity was widely admired, it also underscored the overwhelming magnitude of his fortune and the profound economic ripple effects it created. He is often considered the richest person to have ever lived. It is reported that his wealth surpasses even the richest individuals of today, such as Mukesh Ambani, Elon Musk, Adani, and Tata.
