STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Despite the handicap created by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflow of tourists to the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has broken all previous records, which is great news for the State's tourism sector as well for wildlife lovers in general.
According to official statistics, a total of 1,87,323 tourists have visited the KNP till the first part of February this season (2021-22). Of these, 1,86,615 were domestic tourists and 617 were foreign tourists.
Consequently, revenue collection of the KNP has increased to Rs 4,22,49,207 this season.
The numbers of tourists as well as revenue collection are bound to increase as the season is yet to be over and will end only in the last part of April or first part of May.
It may be mentioned that in the previous season (2020-21) the number of tourists who visited KNP was 1,82,219, and the revenue collection was Rs 3,54,39,271.
Significantly, in the last ten years the highest number of foreign tourists visited KNP in 2019-20, when 11,595 visitors had come from foreign shores.
However, foreign tourists dwindled during this season and the previous one due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Talking to The Sentinel, P Sivakumar, Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, said that the increase in tourist inflow is due to social media promotion by the KNP authorities and good sighting of animals and birds. Moreover, other contributory factors include habitat improvement, water conservation and consolidation, expansion and opening of new sites, he said.
This season, apart from the usual rhino sightings, tiger sightings have also increased.
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