The cheapest option was from Delhi, with return fares on direct flights starting at Rs 10,000. For direct flights from Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad, the cheapest return ticket was priced at INR 20,000. Online travel portal, MakeMyTrip said its searches from across India for travel to Ayodhya increased by 1,806 per cent after the announcement of the temple’s inauguration.
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Japan welcomed more than 2 million visitors for an eighth consecutive month in January, official data showed on Wednesday, setting the stage for a potential record year for tourism.
The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure was 2.69 million last month, down slightly from 2.73 million in December, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed.
Arrivals in December were an all-time high for that month and capped a pandemic recovery year that saw a little more than 25 million visitors enter the country.
Tourism to Japan all but halted for more than two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the industry was dealt a major tailwind last year by rapid depreciation in the yen that made Japan a bargain compared to many destinations.
Inbound tourism is an increasingly important part of Japan’s economy, and visitors spent more than 5 trillion yen ($33.32 billion) last year for the first time, exceeding the government’s goal.
Arrivals in January were impacted by the major earthquake on Jan. 1 in the western prefecture of Ishikawa, JNTO said, though the number was on par with the level in 2019 when Japan welcomed a record 39.9 million tourists.
Chinese travellers flocked to tourist hot-spots across Asia over the Lunar New Year break, with visitor numbers and spending in destinations including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia exceeding pre-COVID levels. Visa-free access for Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asia countries boosted traffic and signalled a robust revival in travel since Beijing lifted strict COVID restrictions in early 2023.
Travellers from South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia set an all-time record for any single month. Tourism from China is still far below pre-pandemic levels, when mainland travellers made up nearly a third of all visitors and 40 per cent of tourist spending. But there are signs of life in the segment.
Chinese visitors numbered 415,900 in January, up 33 per cent from the previous month. And department store operators Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings and J Front Retailing said the Lunar New Year contributed to strong sales of luxury goods and duty-free items in the first half of February.
Chinese visitors may be opting for more leisurely travel this year, a trend known as “chill stay,” as opposed to rushed shopping splurges seen in years past, said Teppei Kawanishi, general manager at travel industry consultancy Honichi Lab.
“The style is to go around one sightseeing spot slowly and enjoy it like the locals,” he added.
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IndiGo has announced Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh as its 86th domestic and 118th overall destination in their 6E network as the airline is all set to commence operations from the holy city. IndiGo is also going to be the first airline to operate flights from the soon-to-be-opened Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya.
The first flight from Delhi will arrive in Ayodhya on December 30, 2023. Thereafter, direct commercial flights between Delhi and Ayodhya will commence from January 06, 2024, followed by tri-weekly flights between Ahmedabad and Ayodhya from January 11, 2024.
With the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya scheduled for January 2024, the city is expected to witness a significant surge in travel activity. These new flights will provide pilgrims direct access to Ayodhya from Delhi and Ahmedabad and further across the 6E network across India and overseas.
Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo said, “We are delighted to announce the launch of operations from IndiGo’s 86th domestic destination, Ayodhya. The new flights connecting Delhi-Ayodhya and Ahmedabad-Ayodhya will bring Ayodhya on the country’s aviation map. Given Ayodhya’s historical and cultural significance, our new flights will provide ease of access to the city for pilgrims as well as other tourists. As India’s leading carrier.”
Ayodhya holds tremendous historical and cultural importance in India. For centuries, it has been a cornerstone of religious devotion, as it is the sacred birthplace of Lord Rama. The city boasts a plethora of ancient temples, ghats, and sacred sites that draw pilgrims and tourists from across the globe. Among these landmarks, the upcoming Ram Mandir holds a prominent place that is expected to attract worshippers from across the globe.
Flight schedule:
| Flight No. | Origin | Destination | Frequency | Effective | Departure | Arrival |
| 6E 2128 | Delhi | Ayodhya | Jan 06, 2024# | 11:55 | 13:15 | |
| 6E 2129 | Ayodhya | Delhi | Jan 06, 2024# | 13:45 | 15:00 | |
| 6E 2128 | Delhi | Ayodhya | Daily | Jan 10, 2024 | 11:55 | 13:15 |
| 6E 2129 | Ayodhya | Delhi | Daily | Jan 10, 2024 | 13:45 | 15:00 |
| 6E 6375 | Ahmedabad | Ayodhya | Tue, Thurs, and Sat | Jan 11, 2024 | 9:10 | 11:00 |
| 6E 112 | Ayodhya | Ahmedabad | Tue, Thurs, and Sat | Jan 11, 2024 | 11:30 | 13:40 |
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