Religious Tourism Should be Made a Profitable Venture

October 21, 2026

Tourism is a major source of government revenue in our country. There are different types of tourism. Scenic tourism is tourism to explore India. Medical tourism involves people coming from distant countries to India for medical treatment. Visiting various scenic locations to celebrate festivals is also a part of tourism. Without going into a detailed explanation of these, we would like to discuss the most important religious tourism, a major source of income in the country. In Punjab, weekend tourism to Maa Chintpurni Dham, Maa Baglamukhi, and Chandi Temple via Hoshiarpur is a major source of tourism. Katra is the shrine of Maa Vaishno Devi, which attracts millions of tourists every year. Because this tourism is based on faith, devotees do not care about bad weather or lack of facilities. Those who are determined to visit Baba Barfani Shri Amarnath must do so at all costs. If we invite foreign tourists by properly promoting our geographical attractions, it also solves the foreign exchange crisis. We must also address this issue by controlling the fraudsters roaming these religious sites, who stop at nothing to tarnish the country’s reputation. Our culture dictates that human life attains fulfillment and liberation only after completing the Char Dham Yatra. In most households, the last wish of elderly parents is to complete the Char Dham Yatra. Consequently, religious tourism can create immense sources of income. New centers of faith also emerge based on the glory of Indian mythology and cultural history. In the last two years, the circumambulation of Vindhya triangle has become a new identity of religious tourism. In 2025, about 1.84 crore devotees visited the three major temples associated with Vindhyachal Dham in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh. This has increased the scope of religious tourism in Vindhyachal. Earlier it was limited to Maa Vindhyavasini temple, now it has become Vindhya triangle in which 1.15 crore devotees visited Maa Vindhyavasini, Maa Kali Khoh and Maa Ashtabhuja temple in 2023. In 2025, the number of pilgrims increased by 60 percent to 18.4 million. Tourism experts say that religious tourism in our country is so prolific that if the government tried, it could double its revenue. Switzerland became so prosperous solely on the basis of tourism revenue. In contrast, India’s Kashmir is equally beautiful and attractive. If peace and economic stability are guaranteed here, the growing tourism here could prove to be a profitable asset for the government.