MENA Newswire News Desk: India has witnessed a remarkable surge in lighthouse tourism, with annual visitors increasing four-fold over the past decade. According to India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, the number of tourists visiting the nation’s lighthouses has grown from 400,000 to 1.6 million annually, marking a significant achievement in the country’s tourism initiatives.
India’s 7,517-kilometer coastline is home to 203 lighthouses, many of which boast rich historical significance. The government has been actively promoting lighthouse tourism as a novel way to boost visitor numbers while preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of these maritime landmarks. Sonowal highlighted this effort during a statement today, emphasizing the record number of tourists visiting the lighthouses during the current fiscal year. So far, 900,000 tourists have visited in the first half of the fiscal year.
Sonowal also announced plans to create a national association that will bring together communities living near these lighthouses, empowering them to celebrate these centuries-old structures as national icons. This initiative is expected to enhance local engagement and promote these lighthouses as symbols of India’s maritime legacy. In addition, two new lighthouses are set to be built in the state of Odisha, further expanding India’s lighthouse network, while another was inaugurated in Gujarat as part of the second Indian Lighthouse Festival, which concluded today.
“For a long time, lighthouses, the guardians of our shores, have remained unnoticed, even while they guided vessels and seafarers through the most challenging nights,” said Sonowal. “The Lighthouse Festival is our effort to shift this perception and enlighten people about the contribution these iconic structures have made to India’s maritime legacy.” The festival and the broader lighthouse tourism initiative are part of India’s larger plan to boost tourism along its coastline and to highlight the historical significance of these beacons.
Lighthouse tourism has the potential to not only attract domestic tourists but also enhance India’s standing as a destination for international visitors. With the introduction of new lighthouses and community-led initiatives, the government expects tourism numbers to continue rising in the coming years. The focus on both preservation and promotion ensures that these historical structures will remain a key part of India’s tourism growth strategy.