Top 7 Indian States Visited by Domestic Tourists

With over 1.2 billion people, India is a diverse country having various cultures, traditions, languages, and religions. Also, India offers different categories of tourism activities in its twenty-nine states and seven union territories ranging from Nature Tourism to Adventure Tourism, Beach Tourism to Medical & Wellness Tourism and Heritage Tourism to Religious Tourism.

The Travel and Tourism Report for the year 2017, ranked India 40th out of 136 countries. Domestic tourists have been visiting more states in India compare to the foreign tourists. Tamilnadu was the leading state for domestic tourist visits followed by Uttar Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh. Here are the Top 7 Indian States for Domestic Tourist Visits.

1. Tamilnadu

According to Union Tourism Ministry, Tamil Nadu was the most visited tourist destination by both Indian and International tourists in 2016 with over 344 million domestic and 4.6 million foreign visits. This South Indian state is renowned for its temple towns, heritage sites and hill stations.

Chennai, Madurai, Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Trichy, Chidambaram, Kanyakumari, Rameswaram, the Great Living Chola Temples, Ooty and Kodaikanal are the most famous places to visit in Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu is also a living tradition of music, dance and folk arts.

2. Uttar Pradesh

With over 229 million domestic visits, Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India, is the second most visited tourist destination by Indians in 2016. The state’s prime attraction is the eternal monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

Often called as Heartland of India, Uttar Pradesh has a large number of historical monuments and religious places. Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jhansi, and the holiest city of Varanasi are the prime places to experience Uttar Pradesh Tourism. It also has a rich cultural and culinary heritage. Cuisines of Uttar Pradesh like Awadhi, Mughlai and Kumauni cuisine are very famous throughout India and abroad.

3. Madhya Pradesh

With 185 million domestic visits, Madhya Pradesh stands in third position in domestic tourist arrivals leaving Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra at the succeeding fourth, fifth and sixth positions. Often called as the heart of Incredible India, Madhya Pradesh Tourism is a mix of innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts & palaces that are dotted all over the state.

Khajuraho, Bhimbetkar, Sanchi, Gwalior, Orchha, and Ujjain are some popular destinations of Madhya Pradesh. The temples of Khajuraho are renowned worldwide for their erotic sculptures, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Madhya Pradesh is also known as Tiger State because of the tiger population in famous national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgadh, Satpura and Pench.

4. Andhra Pradesh

Among 29 states and 7 Union territories of India, Andhra Pradesh stands fourth in attracting domestic tourists with over 158.5 million domestic visits. Often called as the Koh-i-Noor of India, the state offers everything from sun kissed beaches to serene lakes, rolling hills to amazing wildlife, and natural caves to historic places.

The state is renowned for its religious tourism as it is home to the world famous Tirupati Balaji Temple. The temple is the second richest and most visited religious centre in the world. Besides Tirumala, Vijayawada, Srisailam, Pancharama Kshetras, Vizag, Araku Valley and Warangal are the top places to visit in Andhra Pradesh.

5. Karnataka

Often called as the ‘Cradle of stone Architecture’, Karnataka is blessed with ageless monuments, world heritage sites, dense forests, amazing wildlife, spectacular waterfalls and romantic hill stations. Hampi, Pattadakal, Belur, Halebeedu, Somanathpur, Srirangapatna, Shravanabelagola, Gokarna, Udupi, Badami, Aihole, Bidar, Gulbarga, Coorg, Chikmagalur, Nagarhole and Jog Falls are the popular tourist attractions of Karnataka.

Besides, it has several palaces such as Bangalore Palace, Mysore Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, Lalitha Mahal, Rajendra Vilas, and Cheluvamba Mansion.

6. Maharashtra

Maharashtra is one of the most visited states in India by domestic tourists, with over 115.4 million domestic tourist arrivals. It boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues like Nashik, Shirdi and Kolhapur that are heavily frequented by domestic visitors.

Aurangabad is the tourism capital of Maharashtra as it is the gateway to Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. Mumbai, Pune, Lonavala, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Satara, Matheran and Panchgani are the top places to visit in Maharashtra. Monsoon is the best time to experience Maharashtra at its best.

7. Rajasthan

Endowed with natural beauty and great history, Rajasthan is one of the top tourist destinations in India, for both domestic and international tourists. Renowned as the Land of the Kings, Rajasthan is well-known for its historical forts, palaces, vibrant culture and captivating festivities.

As it is part of the Golden Triangle, this desert state is visited by large number of foreign tourists. Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Ajmer, Kumbhalgarh, Chittorgarh and Mount Abu are among the most preferred destinations in Rajasthan. One can also visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Sariska Tiger Reserve, and Ranthambore National Park as part of Rajasthan Tour Packages.

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