In January, with the inauguration of Ram Mandir, Ayodhya saw a slew of tourists. This craze caused a rush among airlines to start operations in this town. However, over the last few weeks, several airlines have discontinued direct flights from many Indian cities to Ayodhya due to low demand. This brings to light the bigger question, is Ayodhya’s tourism craze coming to an end?
Flights From 13 Cities Halt Operations In Ayodhya
Three weeks ahead of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, Ayodhya’s Maharshi Valmiki International Airport saw a rush among airlines to start operations. In fact, as per The Telegraph’s report, the airport was handling daily flights to and from about 20 major cities in India around that time. There were even discussions about starting international flights from this airport. However, in less than eight months, several airlines have stopped operations from at least 13 Indian cities to Ayodhya.
Airlines have complained about poor passenger demand in the temple town as the reason for discontinuing flights. However, aviation officials at the Ayodhya Airport believe the slump in tourism is due to the monsoon. While talking to The Telegraph, an airport official said that once the monsoon season ends, tourism will pick up in Ayodhya as well.
In the last few weeks, SpiceJet has stopped direct flights from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Patna to Ayodhya due to low passenger demand. This discontinuation of flights has also sparked concerns about the future viability of Ayodhya’s Maharshi Valmiki International Airport.
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Is The Temple Town’s Craze Coming To An End?
It looks like the wave of religious tourism in Ayodhya is faltering. Besides several flights being discontinued, special buses and train services from many states have been ceased or cut back as well. The temple priests believe this slump could be due to heavy rainfall and intense heat that Ayodhya has been experiencing in the last few weeks. They believe that once the weather conditions improve, the tourist influx will also rise in the city.
While talking to The Telegraph, Vinod Kumar Garg, Director of the Ayodhya Airport, also said that the weather could be one of the biggest reasons why tourists are refraining from travelling to the temple town. He believes that once the monsoon season ends, tourism will improve in Ayodhya.
Also Read: IIM-Lucknow Study Reveals Ayodhya Is UP’s Top Tourist Destination
What is your hot take on Ayodhya’s declining tourism? Let us know in the comments.
Cover Image Courtesy: Flickr & Canva (representative image)
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