With per pilgrim spend pegged at Rs 5.8k, Prayagraj Maha Kumbh contributed Rs 3.8 lakh crore to UP’s economy: Survey

Lucknow: A single pilgrim who visited the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh spent an estimated Rs 5,877.63, revealed a survey commissioned by the union ministry of tourism and culture.The spending patterns showed that tourists allocated 41.11% of their expenses to travel, 16.64% to accommodation, 11.24% to food, 11.08% to religious items, 2.13% to entertainment, 7.42% to shopping, and 10.38% to other miscellaneous heads.Considering that the Maha Kumbh recorded a footfall of 66 crore, the figure translates into a hefty Rs 3.88 lakh crore. Reacting to the findings, the minister for tourism and culture, Thakur Jaiveer Singh, said: "It is evident that the Maha Kumbh contributed immensely to the state's economy." Titled ‘Maha Kumbh Spiritual Survey–2025', the exercise interviewed 3,52,388 pilgrims from across different parts of the world to draw conclusions.The survey exercise was conducted between Jan 28 and Feb 26, 2025, at various locations in Prayagraj, including Teliarganj, Jhunsi, Arail, and Parade Ground.Of the total, 1,093 participants hailed from foreign countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Nepal, Australia, and Fiji. The survey was anchored by Deloitte and aided by the All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG).The survey revealed that pilgrims visited Ayodhya and Varanasi during the Maha Kumbh, and the holy trinity of Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Varanasi were termed as the top spiritual tourist destinations among both domestic and international visitors. "It was interesting to note that among previous visits, 27.32% of respondents last visited Ayodhya, 22.68% visited Sangam in Prayagraj, and 8.81% visited Varanasi. Also, for future visits, 32.57% preferred Sangam, 12.46% Ayodhya, and 7.46% Varanasi.In terms of overall favourite destinations, 22.55% chose Ayodhya, 19.96% chose Sangam, and 12.72% chose Varanasi," said officials concerned. They said the survey also shed light on visitor preferences for travelling solo or with family. The findings showed that while domestic tourists often travelled with family, foreign travellers preferred travelling alone."About 40% of Indian tourists visited with family, 30.88% alone, and 29.13% with friends. Among foreign tourists, 55.26% travelled alone, 24.43% with family, and 20.31% with friends," they said.Tourism principal secretary Mukesh Meshram said, "The findings would be studied in detail by departmental experts, and the learnings from it would be tweaked in future planning."