Daijiworld Media Network – Dehradun
Dehradun, Feb 5: Uttarakhand has achieved a historic milestone in the tourism sector, with the annual number of tourists and pilgrims crossing the six-crore mark for the first time since the state was formed in 2000.
According to official data, as many as 6,03,21,194 tourists visited the hill state in 2025, including 1,92,533 foreign travellers.
Haridwar emerged as the biggest crowd-puller, attracting a staggering 3.42 crore visitors. Dehradun ranked a distant second with 67.35 lakh tourists, followed by Tehri with 53.29 lakh visitors.
Tourism and Religious Affairs Minister Satpal Maharaj attributed the record-breaking figures to the state government’s proactive policies.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, tourism in Uttarakhand has gained new momentum. Along with launching key development schemes, we have focused strongly on improving basic infrastructure at pilgrimage centres,” Maharaj said.
He also highlighted enhanced security arrangements as a major factor behind the surge. “Breaking a 25-year record reflects the improved safety measures and facilities provided to visitors,” the minister added.
While the official figures are at a historic high, experts believe the actual tourist footfall could be significantly higher.
Anoop Nautiyal, activist and founder of the NGO Social Development for Communities, said the six-crore figure may be a conservative estimate. “The chief minister has often spoken about a floating population of eight to ten crore. If you account for around five crore devotees during the Kanwad Yatra in Haridwar, 50 lakh pilgrims for the Chardham Yatra, and 30 lakh visitors to the Purnagiri fair, the overall number could easily cross 10 crore when tourists to Mussoorie, Nainital and Corbett are included,” he said.
Despite the celebratory numbers, stakeholders in the hospitality industry have called for better planning and distribution of tourist traffic.
Arun Verma, president of the Almora Hotel Association, expressed concern over the concentration of visitors in a few locations. “Tourism needs to be more organised. Crowds must be diverted from overburdened destinations such as Nainital and Mussoorie to offbeat locations like Kausani and Jageshwar,” he said.
Verma also pointed to infrastructure challenges, noting that mismanaged traffic near Kanchi Dham has adversely affected tourism in Almora and Kausani.