Kaziranga tourist footfall surges; foreign arrivals up 4.5% over a decade

Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP&TR) has recorded an unprecedented surge in tourist footfall, with visitor numbers quadrupling during the recently concluded financial year at the Unesco heritage site.

Park director Sonali Ghosh said records from 2016-17 to 2025-26 indicate sustained growth in tourism. “The total visitors have increased more than three times in the last 10 years with a 4.5% increase in foreign tourists in the 2025-26 financial year compared to 2016-17,” she said.

Kaziranga spans three divisions — Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Biswanath Wildlife Division, and Nagaon Wildlife Division. Ghosh attributed the rise to new visitor experiences, including a bird safari in Panbari under the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, cycling in Kohora, and the Panpur Jeep Safari and Boat Safari in the Biswanath Wildlife Division.

"These initiatives, aimed at promoting local culture and heritage, have captured the hearts of both residents and visitors alike, turning Kaziranga into a must-visit destination. The Kaziranga staff-welfare society-run eco-shops have been able to showcase curated Kaziranga-related souvenir items and community products that have helped create fond memories for the visitors," she said.

Ghosh also pointed to high-profile visits in recent years, including King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan. She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the park in 2024, calling it the first visit by a sitting prime minister since Kaziranga was declared a national park in 1974.

She added that a delegation of heads of missions from various countries, led by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, visited the park in February last year, boosting its international profile. “Assam govt has prioritised eco-friendly tourism in Kaziranga and has announced the incentivisation of EV safari vehicles in the recent budget,” she said.
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