What Makes Odisha's Sun Temple a Top Tourist Destination in 2024?

Sun Temple's Popularity Surges

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Sun Temple located in Konark, Odisha, welcomed an impressive 3.57 million domestic tourists during the financial year 2024-25, as revealed in a report released by the Ministry of Tourism on World Tourism Day.

The report also highlighted that India recorded 9.95 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2024, marking a 4.52% increase from the previous year.

Among the ticketed monuments under central protection, the Taj Mahal topped the list with 6.26 million domestic visitors and 645,000 foreign tourists in FY2024-25.

Other notable attractions for domestic travelers included the Sun Temple in Konark and Qutub Minar in Delhi, which attracted 3.57 million and 3.20 million visitors, respectively. For international visitors, Agra Fort and Qutub Minar each drew 220,000 tourists, following the Taj Mahal.

Additionally, the number of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) visiting India reached 10.62 million in 2024, reflecting a significant 13.22% rise compared to 2023 and a remarkable 52.15% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

This resurgence indicates a growing confidence among the Indian diaspora in traveling back to India after the pandemic, according to the compendium.

Overall, International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) in India reached 20.57 million, showing an 8.89% increase from the previous year and a 14.82% rise compared to 2019, as detailed in the 260-page India Tourism Data Compendium 2025.

The event featured Suman Bery, vice chairperson of the NITI Aayog, as the chief guest.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi presided over the gathering, which also included Suman Billa, additional secretary in the ministry, along with other officials.

In his speech, Bery emphasized that tourism transcends leisure; it serves as a vital tool for economic growth, environmental care, and social inclusion.

He noted that sustainable tourism practices can help preserve biodiversity while creating job opportunities, a potential India must harness by integrating sustainability into its core tourism strategy.

Looking towards Viksit Bharat 2047, Bery envisioned a tourism sector that is environmentally friendly, inclusive, and prepared for the future, where local communities benefit and India's rich cultural and natural heritage is proudly showcased.

The tourism industry faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with FTAs plummeting by 74.93% to just 2.74 million in 2020, according to the latest compendium.