Taj Mahal most-visited ticketed ASI monument in 2024-25
New Delhi (PTI): Mughal-era mausoleum Taj Mahal in Agra was the most-visited centrally protected ticketed monument for both domestic and foreign tourists in the financial year 2024-25, according to data published in a compendium released by the government on Saturday.
The compendium was released by the Ministry of Tourism at an event held here to mark World Tourism Day on September 27.
The Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) figures for India reached 9.95 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.52 per cent rise from 2023, it says.
Among the centrally protected ticketed monuments, "Taj Mahal leads in visitor numbers for both domestic (6.26 million) and foreign (0.645 million) tourists in FY 2024-25".
The grand mausoleum of white marble was built between 1631 and 1648 by the order of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It comes under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Other popular sites for domestic visitors include the Sun Temple, Konark in Odisha (3.57 million) and Qutub Minar in Delhi (3.20 million). Foreign visitors favoured Agra Fort (0.22 million) and Qutub Minar (0.22 million) following Taj Mahal, it said.
And, arrivals of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in India reached 10.62 million in 2024, reflecting a 13.22 per cent increase over 2023 and a substantial 52.15 per cent rise compared to the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
"This strong rebound highlights the growing confidence of the Indian diaspora in travelling to India post-pandemic," the compendium says.
International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) in India thus reached 20.57 million, reflecting an increase of 8.89 per cent over the previous year and 14.82 per cent compared to 2019, according to the 260-page India Tourism Data Compendium 2025.
At the event, Suman Bery, vice chairperson of the NITI Aayog, was the chief guest. Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi presided over the event, while Suman Billa, additional secretary in the ministry, and other officials also attended it.
Bery, in his address, said, "Tourism is not just about leisure; it is a powerful instrument for economic transformation, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion".
Globally, it has been shown by various countries that sustainable tourism can preserve biodiversity while generating livelihoods. India has the same potential, but "we must embed sustainability at the core of our strategy, not at the margins," he said.
"As we look ahead to Viksit Bharat 2047, our vision must be of a tourism sector that is green, inclusive, and future-ready where communities are not just participants but beneficiaries, and where India’s cultural and natural wealth is showcased to the world with pride," Bery said.
The tourism sector was hit globally during the COVID-19 period, and according to the latest compendium, the year 2020 marked a significant downturn due to the pandemic, with FTAs declining by 74.93 per cent to 2.74 million.
A gradual recovery was observed in subsequent years, with FTAs rebounding sharply to 6.44 million in 2022 (a 323.68 per cent increase) and reaching 9.95 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.52 per cent rise from 2023, it said.
Also, age-wise FTAs in 2024 indicate broad appeal across age groups, with the highest shares from the 35-44 years (20.67 per cent) and 45-54 (20.24 per cent) segments.
Significant contributions from the 55-64 and above 65 age groups suggest a growing interest among senior travellers, likely drawn by India's wellness, heritage, and spiritual tourism offerings, it added.
"While the 0-14 age group saw a slight decline compared to 2022 and 2023, it remains significant, highlighting strong family tourism," the compendium says.
The gender-wise FTAs in 2024 show that "57.7 per cent males and 42.3 per cent females, reflecting a balanced gender distribution among foreign visitors," it added.
The compendium further said that in 2024, outbound travel from India continued its upward trajectory, recording 30.89 million departures, a growth of 10.79 per cent over the previous year.
This sustained recovery underscores the resilience of India’s outbound travel market, supported by rising consumer confidence, expanding aviation networks, and growing demand for international leisure and business travel, it said.
In 2024, the United Arab Emirates remained the leading destination for Indian nationals, followed by Saudi Arabia, the US, Thailand, Singapore, the UK, Qatar, Canada, Kuwait, and Oman.
Together, these top 10 countries accounted for approximately 71.16 per cent of all Indian Nationals’ Departures (INDs) during the year.
Air travel continues to be the predominant mode of international travel for Indian residents, with 98 per cent of Indian nationals departing by air in 2024. In comparison, 1.46 per cent travelled via land routes, and 0.54 per cent used waterways, the compendium said.
In 2023–24, the travel and tourism sector in India generated approximately 84.63 million jobs (including both direct and indirect employment).
During the same period, the sector's total contribution to India's GDP stood at 5.22 per cent, reflecting its significant role in the national economy, it said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
19-yr-old woman found hanging from tree in UP village; juvenile held
Lucknow/Pratapgarh (UP) (PTI): Police have apprehended a 16-year-old boy for his alleged involvement in the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in a village here, officials said on Monday.
Additional Superintendent of Police (West), Brijnandan Rai, said that the body of a 19-year-old woman was found hanging from a tree in an orchard in the Manikpur police station area on Sunday morning. A post-mortem examination subsequently confirmed that she had been raped.
Police registered a case against unidentified persons under sections 103(1) (punishment for murder) and 70(1) (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and initiated an investigation.
During the course of the investigation, the police found that the deceased was in contact with a juvenile who was also her relative.
Acting on this information, during a joint checking operation, sub-inspector Amit Kumar Singh of Manikpur police station and SOG In-charge Amit Kumar Chaurasia, along with their team, apprehended the 16-year-old near the Lehdari Ganga River bridge.
The search for other accused persons is ongoing, police said.
According to the police, the woman had gone to sleep after dinner on Saturday night but was found hanging in an orchard nearly 400 metres away from her home the following morning.
Additional Superintendent of Police (West), Brijnandan Rai, had earlier said that the circumstances suggest foul play.
"The victim's slippers and undergarments were recovered 50 metres away from the spot where the body was found. There are visible injury marks on her body," Rai said.
While locals have alleged that the woman was murdered after being raped, the ASP said that it is "prima facie a case of murder."
"Based on the complaint filed by the victim's brother, a case of murder has been registered against unidentified persons," the officer added.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X in Hindi on Monday, said, "The news of the heinous murder of a Dalit daughter in Pratapgarh is deeply tragic and condemnable."
"The question remains: why does the spate of murders of 'PDA daughters' continue unabated in Uttar Pradesh? Are the BJP government's claims regarding women's safety merely hollow rhetoric, or is there, in fact, discrimination even in the provision of security for women?" he said.
"Whenever the 'wandering Honourable (ghumantu maananiye)' finds a moment of respite from election campaigning, he should cast a glance at the plight of the daughters of his own Uttar Pradesh. In any case, apart from injustice and oppression, no sister, daughter, or mother of this state holds any hope from you," Yadav added.
