NEW DELHI: Tourist visits to lighthouses along India’s 7,517-km coastline have surged by 400 percent, growing from 400,000 to 1.6 million annually over the past decade. This rise is part of India’s initiative to promote lighthouse tourism, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of the country’s 203 lighthouses.
In the first half of the current fiscal year alone, a record 900,000 tourists visited Indian lighthouses. Plans are now underway to form a national association for communities living near these coastal monuments, aiming to celebrate them as national treasures and cultural heritage sites.
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India is also expanding its lighthouse infrastructure, with two new lighthouses being built in Odisha and another recently inaugurated in Gujarat, marking the conclusion of the second Indian Lighthouse Festival.
For years, these coastal sentinels have quietly guided ships and seafarers, largely unnoticed by the public. The Lighthouse Festival seeks to change that, raising awareness of the vital role these structures have played in India’s maritime history. The celebration aims to shift perceptions, turning lighthouses into destinations of national pride and cultural significance.
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This new focus on lighthouse tourism aligns with the broader efforts to boost tourism along India’s coastline, bringing attention to these historic monuments and offering unique experiences for visitors. By showcasing their historical value and promoting their maritime legacy, India hopes to draw more tourists and support the coastal communities that surround these iconic structures. The growth in tourist footfalls marks a significant success in these efforts, highlighting the increasing interest in India’s lighthouse heritage.
