DESTINATION PUDUCHERRY A RISING STAR IN GLOBAL TOURISM

Tourism is not just a leisure industry for Puducherry; it is a driver of growth.

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“The UT witnessed a 12% increase in tourist arrivals, with nearly 19 lakh visitors in 2024 alone. Notably, average stays have stretched from 1.5 days a decade ago to nearly 2.5 days now, which we want to enhance further,” said Lakshminarayanan.

Puducherry is targeting to reach 30 lakh tourists by 2030, focussing on destination weddings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) tourism along with spiritual, cultural, recreational tourism,” he said. “Our strategy is to extend overnight stays by diversifying experiences — heritage walks, spiritual tourism, destination weddings, and MICE tourism,” explained Lakshminarayanan.

The changing visitors