16-05-2025
Big jump in foreign tourist arrivals in Madurai
Madurai: Tourist inflow to Madurai saw an impressive rise in 2024, with both international and domestic footfall growing steadily compared to the previous year. The district welcomed 98,770 foreign visitors, up from 57,564 in 2023 according to the district tourism department.
Domestic tourist numbers touched 2.74 crore, up from 2.5 crore in 2023, reaffirming Madurai's position as one of the major travel destinations in Tamil Nadu.
While
Meenakshi Amman temple
and Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal remain key crowd-pullers, tourism stakeholders say the narrative is gradually shifting from purely spiritual to one that emphasizes culture, cuisine, and heritage. "Earlier, most tourists would only visit temples and return.
Now, many ask about historical walks, old markets, traditional art performances, and even archaeological sites like Keeladi," says Nagendra Prabhu, a senior govt-recognized tourist guide.
There's a clear demand for deeper, experience-based travel, he added.
Travel operators say a large number of domestic visitors arrive from states like Maharashtra, Delhi, and West Bengal, while European travellers form the bulk of international arrivals.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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There has been a modest increase in tourists from North America and Australia.
Hoteliers are witnessing the impact firsthand. K P S Kannan, president of Madurai Lodge Owners' Association, said the demand for hotel rooms has remained consistently high, with occupancy peaking during weekends and holidays. "Over the past few years, people's spending patterns have shifted more towards travel," he said. "Madurai has emerged as a central hub, especially for those looking to cover destinations like Rameswaram, Karaikudi, Kanyakumari, and Kodaikanal.
With better road and rail connectivity, many prefer to base themselves here and plan onward trips," he said.
An emerging highlight of the city's tourism profile in the post-pandemic period is food-based travel. Tour packages now often include local food trails, with visitors eager to sample iconic dishes like kari dosai, mutton biryani, and jigarthanda from long-standing eateries. "There's a lot more interest in exploring the city through its cuisine," said Vasanth Rajan, a city-based travel consultant who now offers culinary tours too.
"Most of our clients specifically ask for places that locals frequent. Food vlogs and social media reviews have made a big difference in drawing this crowd," he said.
Recognizing this trend, the district administration's draft tourism master plan proposes positioning Madurai as a gastronomic destination under Unesco Creative Cities Network. Plans include hosting annual food festivals in temple precincts. Madurai corporation had, in its recent annual budget, included a food street near Mattuthavani.
