Lok Sabha Question No. 2750 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Promotion of Buddhist Tourism
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2750 ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

## PROMOTION OF BUDDHIST TOURISM

## 2750. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote domestic and international  tourism  in  Buddhist  cultural  and  historical  sites  like Piprahwa in Siddharthnagar district;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  such  initiatives,  including  promotional  events, social media amplification and infrastructural development;
- (c) the details of the total number of domestic and international tourists visited Siddharthnagar district during the last five years and the current year with specific statistics;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any measures to promote crossborder tourism between the Buddhist cultural and heritage sites like Lumbini in Nepal and Siddharthnagar in India, including connectivity and cooperation with Nepal;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  promote  Buddhist pilgrimage  and  tourism  in  countries  with  shared  heritage  such  as Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and more; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

## ANSWER

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) & (b): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  regularly  promotes  diverse  tourist destinations  and  experiences  of  India  including  Buddhist  sites  through various  initiatives  including  promotional  events,  participation  in  travel exhibitions and fairs in domestic and international markets familiarization (FAM) tours, influencers programmes, assistance to State

Governments/Union  Territories  for  organizing  fairs  and  festivals,  website, amplification through social media handles etc.

Further, the Ministry under its Schemes  of Swadesh  Darshan, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) , Assistance to Central Agencies (ACA), Challenge Based Destination  Development  (CBDD)  and  Special  Assistance  to  States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) has sanctioned several projects to  develop  tourism  infrastructure  and  amenities,  in  the  country  including Buddhist tourism sites.

## (c): The details of tourist footfall in Siddharthnagar district during the last five years are as follows:

| Year               | DTVs      | FTVs   | Total     |
|--------------------|-----------|--------|-----------|
| 2025 (Provisional) | 195941    | 23341  | 219282    |
| 2024               | 100595    | 17546  | 118141    |
| 2023               | 392516    | 11797  | 404313    |
| 2022               | 222289    | 109    | 222398    |
| 2021               | 370975    | 90     | 371065    |
| Total              | 12,82,316 | 52,883 | 13,35,199 |

*DTVs - Domestic Tourist Visits / FTVs -Foreign Tourist Visits

(d) to (f): The Government has taken significant steps to improve connectivity (road, air and rail connectivity) across Buddhist cultural and heritage sites in the country including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Lumbini in Nepal is connected to Siddharthnagar in India through NH-233. The Ministry of  Railways  also  operates  theme  based  tourist  circuit  trains  covering Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sharavasti.

The Ministry of Tourism regularly engages with neighbouring countries such  as  Nepal,  Bhutan,  Sri  Lanka  and  Thailand  under  the  framework  of international  tourism  cooperation,  with  a  focus  on  promoting  tourism including Buddhist tourism.

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