Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park emerged as the ultimate destination for travel enthusiasts this season as it welcomed 1.8 lakh visitors from across the globe generating Rs 4.58 crore as revenue - an all-time high. This surge in popularity comes since the park opened its gates to visitors on October 15, 2023.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, witnessed an increase of 194 percent in tourist footfall - from 17,662 in October of the previous year to 52,000 in January this year - according to official data. While November saw 40,242 visitors making their way to the park, December led all months this season with 65,000 total visits.

Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressed his excitement at Kaziranga's record-breaking tourist footfall. He underlined that this achievement demonstrates the state's welcoming tourism environment and the superb amenities available at the World Heritage Site. "The increase in tourists not only demonstrates Kaziranga's global appeal, but also the good influence tourism has on the state's economy", he noted on Twitter (formerly X).

Recognizing the importance of the achievement, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Environment and Forests, welcomed wildlife enthusiasts to explore the breathtaking grandeur of Kaziranga.

The park, which is home to a diverse range of flora and animals, has long been a popular destination for both nature enthusiasts and adventurers. River tourism was a significant draw for tourists this year and contributed significantly to the park's coffers. Authorities have been steadily increasing the number of activities at the park over the years and tea tourism - another new initiative - is set to make a debut this month.

Add to that the discovery of two new mammalian species, Binturong (Arctictis binturong) and small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve last month.

The otter was photographed by divisional forest officer Arun Vignesh.

Bintueong or bearcat is an arboreal animal found in Southeast Asia and termed vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

“The footfall can only increase further,” said range forest officer Manjit Sonowal. Yet the number of foreign tourists is apparently not seeing the jump one hopes for. Rising air fares proportional to international crude prices has kept foreign tourists at bay, say sources. One source said that foreign tourists numbers have not risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Some hoteliers felt that while tourists have been visiting the park, numbers staying back is not high. Forest department sources argue that there are queues for taking early morning elephant safaris. “Unless tourists are staying overnight how will they book elephant safaris - the claim of fewer tourists falls flat,” said a forest officer.

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