Ram Mandir Inauguration Opens Doors To An Economic Boom In Ayodhya

Ayodhya's economy is set to see a dramatic boost after January 22. As Uttar Pradesh (UP) gears up to open the doors of Ram Mandir for the public, businesses are hoping to open new streams of income with a massive flow of devotees expected to visit the city. Officials in Ayodhya Development Authority are expecting 7,000 guests for the inauguration ceremony and three to five lakh visitors every day for at least a month after the inauguration. As per analysts, the hotels, railways, consumption, and aviation sectors stand to gain big as tourism will get a major boost. Almost all hotels in Ayodhya are fully booked for January 22 and the huge demand has also given them the pricing power. For instance, hotel rates on December 19 show rooms selling at ₹17,000 per night to as high as ₹73,000 per night. The Ayodhya Tent City, which has 30 luxurious air-conditioned tents, is fully booked for January 22 with each tent sold at ₹30,000 a night. The staff at the Tent City expects 100% occupancy for a few weeks after the inauguration. Radisson is the first international brand to open its hotel in Ayodhya. It has built an 80-room property and will open bookings from January 1. Radisson plans to sell each room for ₹30,000 a night, rates not seen even in some metro cities. Indian Hotels, which operates the Taj Hotels chain, is also building two hotels in Ayodhya; one with 100 rooms and another with 120 rooms. Both hotels are expected to start business in three years.