More than three and a half lakh foreign tourists have witnessed the glorious heritage of Ahmedabad in 2022
Gujarat has the highest number of foreign tourists coming to India i.e., 20.17 per cent of the foreign tourists visit Gujarat
Tourism Industry, which had come to a standstill due to COVID-19, has made a big leap in two years
Only 11,319 foreign tourists arrived in 2021, which crossed 17.77 lakhs in 2022
In the first eight months of 2023 alone, 15.40 lakh foreign tourists visited Gujarat
The number of foreign tourists is estimated to reach 20 lakh by December 2023
Number of tourists visiting Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad crosses 1 lakh
Pilgrim sites like Somnath, Ambaji, and Dwarka are also a centre of attraction for foreigners
Gandhinagar, 27 September 2023: Ahmedabad, which has been included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Cities, has become the first choice of foreign tourists coming to Gujarat. Not only this, 3.63 lakh tourists have visited Ahmedabad in just 8 months in 2023.
The number of tourists visiting Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad has crossed 1 lakh, while pilgrim sites places like Somnath, Ambaji and Dwarka have become centres of attraction for foreigners. The tourism industry, which had come to a standstill due to COVID-19, has made a significant comeback in two years. Based on the data, 2021 saw a mere 11,319 tourists, which remarkably surged to 17.77 lakhs in 2022. Notably, within just 8 months of 2023, Gujarat has already welcomed 15.40 lakh foreign tourists. Projections indicate that by December 2023, the number of foreign tourists visiting Gujarat could potentially reach an impressive 20 lakhs.
It may be noted that in 2022, the number of foreign tourists visiting India was over 85.90 lakhs out of which the number of foreign tourists coming to Gujarat was more than 17.77 lakhs. This underscores that Gujarat accounts for a significant 20.17 per cent of the total foreign tourists visiting India.
Increase in tourists due to important places and facilities
On September 27, as the world observes World Tourism Day, Gujarat’s tourism sector, which had nearly ground to a halt during the Corona period, witnessed a remarkable resurgence in 2022. The state is now becoming the top preference for foreign tourists, owing to its rich array of mythological, historical, heritage, religious, environmental, and adventure destinations, complemented by the commendable efforts of the state government.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, the State Government’s Gujarat Tourism Corporation Limited (TCGL) has launched the AATITHYAM portal to track the number of tourists visiting Gujarat. Gujarat is the first state in the country to take this initiative.
The number of tourists in the state is increasing day by day which is evident through the statistics of the AATITHYAM portal. These figures show that the number of foreign tourists coming to the state has increased drastically in 2022 compared to 2021. In 2021, only 11,319 tourists enjoyed the visit to Gujarat, but with the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign tourists coming to Gujarat increased by about 157 times to 17,77,215.
2023 sees a huge jump in the number of foreign tourists
The rush of foreign tourists visiting the state is constantly increasing. In 2022, more than 17.77 lakh tourists arrived in 12 months, compared to 15.40 lakh in the first eight months of 2023 i.e., till August 2023. From this, it is estimated that by December, the number of foreign tourists coming to the state in the year 2023 can reach 20 lakhs.
Ahmedabad tops the list of top tourist destinations in the state
Ahmedabad, a World Heritage City, scores the top position for foreign tourists visiting the state. As per TCGL data for the year 2023 (up to August), a substantial 15.40 lakh foreign tourists have explored Gujarat, with Ahmedabad reigning as the prime choice. Additionally, Ambaji Temple, Somnath Temple, and Dwarka Temple also garnered significant interest among travellers.
Sabarmati riverfront becomes Ahmedabad’s favourite sight
Out of the total 15.40 lakh foreign tourists who visited Gujarat so far in 2023 (till August 2023), the highest number of 3 lakh 53 thousand tourists have visited the heritage city of Ahmedabad, whereas 3.63 lakh tourists visited in the year 2022. From this figure, it can be estimated that the number of foreign tourists visiting Ahmedabad till December 2023 will exceed the figure of 3.63 lakh last year.
Similarly, Sabarmati Riverfront has witnessed a surge in foreign tourist visits compared to the previous year, solidifying its status as the preferred destination in Ahmedabad. In 2022, 67 thousand foreign tourists explored the Sabarmati Riverfront, whereas, by August 2023, this number had risen significantly to 1,07,969. This surge reflects the growing popularity of the Sabarmati Riverfront.
Tourists also visited the pilgrim sites and the Statue of Unity
Among other important tourist destinations in the state, tourist places like Ambaji, Dwarka, Somnath, and Statue of Unity are also becoming the preferred destinations for foreign tourists.
Following are the number of tourists who visited various tourist destinations in Gujarat for the years 2022 and 2023 (till August):
| Tourist Places | Year 2022 | Year 2023 (till August) |
| Ahmedabad (Heritage City) | 6,63,000 | 3,53,000 |
| Sabarmati Riverfront | 67,000 | 1,07,969 |
| Ambaji Temple | 1,53,000 | 77,225 |
| Somnath Temple | 1,04,000 | 73,121 |
| Dwarka Temple | 75,000 | 62,915 |
| Kankaria Lakefront | 49,000 | 48,656 |
| Surat City | 61,000 | 46,656 |
| Pavagadh Temple | 44,000 | 39,971 |
| Statue of Unity | 22,000 | 25,291 |
| Gandhi Ashram | 33,000 | 13,800 |
| Shivrajpur Beach | 200 | 8,656 |
| Adalaj Step well | 240 | 2,498 |
| Modhera Sun Temple | 120 | 1,074 |
| Rani Ki Vav (Patan) | 200 | 785 |
