UP to shift tourism focus from record footfall to higher eco value

Uttar Pradesh’s tourism push is shifting from drawing crowds to extracting stronger economic gains from record visitor numbers, with the state setting a new agenda around investment execution, better infrastructure and higher-quality visitor services.

At a high-level review meeting on Wednesday, tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said the department’s next phase will prioritise faster conversion of investment proposals into operational projects, expansion of hotel and accommodation capacity, and deeper private sector participation.

Singh assessed progress under UP’s One Trillion-Dollar Economy roadmap and examined tourism performance, status of policy-approved projects, hotel map approvals and the department’s quarterly action plan.UP has witnessed unprecedented growth in tourist arrivals over the last few years. Our focus is now on ensuring that this momentum creates greater economic opportunities through quality infrastructure, improved visitor experiences, enhanced accommodation capacity and greater private sector participation,” Singh said. Adviser to the CM Avanish Kumar Awasthi said the state has emerged among India’s leading destinations by footfall but must now improve the quality of tourism and maximise its contribution to the economy through stronger hospitality services and sustainable employment generation. Additional chief secretary Amrit Abhijat stressed the need for continuous monitoring of tourism indicators, infrastructure development and investment progress to identify implementation gaps early and strengthen the overall tourism ecosystem.