Madhya Pradesh Launches Ganga–Narmada Tourism Corridor to Link Spiritual Sites With Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh: New Report You Need to Know – Travel And Tour World

In a strategic move poised to reshape spiritual and cultural tourism in North and Central India, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is prioritizing the Ganga–Narmada Tourism Corridor as a major initiative in its 2025 tourism roadmap. The project was spotlighted by Principal Secretary of Tourism, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, during his address at the Tourism Sustainability Summit 2025 in New Delhi.

The corridor aims to seamlessly integrate Madhya Pradesh’s iconic natural and religious sites with those of Uttar Pradesh, including Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Varanasi — creating a unified, culturally rich tourism belt that spans rivers, temples, and timeless traditions.

Boosting inter-state tourism between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

At the heart of this initiative lies a vision to connect central India’s natural wonders and temples with the spiritual capitals of northern India. Through this corridor, tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh will be able to extend their journeys deeper into Madhya Pradesh’s storied landscapes and heritage sites.

For instance, pilgrims and heritage travelers arriving in Prayagraj will have the option to venture further into Rewa to witness the Maihar Mata temple, and then move toward Jabalpur’s Dhuandhar Waterfalls and Bhedaghat, both of which are famed for their dramatic marble cliffs and sacred Narmada River views.

Similarly, spiritual tourists visiting Varanasi for the Kashi Vishwanath Temple can expand their itineraries to include Omkareshwar and Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlingas in Madhya Pradesh, offering a rare chance to witness multiple Jyotirlinga pilgrimage sites in one comprehensive tour.

The Ram Path Gaman corridor, linking Chitrakoot with Ayodhya, is also under development as part of this broader religious circuit integration. This expansion is expected to elevate pilgrimage routes with historical and mythological significance, opening new possibilities for faith-based tourism operators and interstate travel planners.

FAM tours and targeted promotions in UP cities

To drive awareness and traffic across the corridor, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is conducting FAM (familiarization) tours and customized promotional campaigns in key Uttar Pradesh cities including Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kanpur, and Agra. These campaigns aim to engage local tour operators, pilgrimage agents, and regional influencers to build momentum around the new travel routes.

By strengthening ties with Uttar Pradesh’s travel industry stakeholders, the initiative promises to catalyze cross-state tour packaging, shared festival promotions, and destination pairing strategies — all of which benefit regional economies and local communities on both sides of the border.

Economic growth driven by spiritual and eco-cultural tourism

Currently, tourism contributes around 3%–3.5% to Madhya Pradesh’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The state has set a target to raise this to 4–5% by 2028, and a long-term vision to reach 8–10% by 2047. According to Sheo Shekhar Shukla, the state sees tourism not only as a promotional activity but as a core economic development strategy.

Shukla emphasized that tourism’s potential lies in its ability to generate livelihoods at scale. “An investment of ₹10 lakh in the tourism sector creates nearly 90 direct and indirect jobs, which is significantly higher than in many other industries,” he said.

This multiplier effect becomes especially impactful in rural and semi-urban areas — such as Rewa, Chitrakoot, and Jabalpur — where tourism-based micro-entrepreneurship, hospitality, transport, and handicrafts can create inclusive growth models. The state is actively seeking both public and private investment in its tourism infrastructure to support this scale-up.

Sustainability and heritage conservation remain guiding principles

At the Tourism Sustainability Summit, Shukla reiterated Madhya Pradesh’s commitment to preserving its natural, spiritual, and cultural heritage as it promotes growth. He highlighted that the Ganga–Narmada Corridor will be designed to support low-impact, community-inclusive tourism, with special focus on eco-sensitive zones, temple conservation, and heritage storytelling.

Workshops are also being organized with travel agents and hospitality leaders to co-create tour experiences that not only respect local customs and ecosystems but also highlight underexplored destinations across both states.

Positioning Madhya Pradesh as a central spiritual tourism hub

This initiative is expected to position Bhopal and Indore, already key gateways, as transit and spiritual tourism hubs for North and Central India. By connecting Madhya Pradesh’s sacred river Narmada with the Ganga belt of Uttar Pradesh, the project taps into India’s rich spiritual geography — a rising segment in both domestic and inbound travel markets.

With the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Kumbh planning in Prayagraj, and the rejuvenated Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi, the interlinking with MP’s own spiritual jewels — Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Amarkantak, Chitrakoot, Orchha, and Khajuraho — creates a powerhouse network of destinations rooted in mythology, devotion, and wellness.

Tourism outlook: A spiritual corridor with long-term global potential

The Ganga–Narmada Tourism Corridor is expected to attract religious pilgrims, cultural travelers, wellness tourists, and heritage seekers — both from within India and among the global Indian diaspora.

With better connectivity, immersive storytelling, and coordinated marketing across UP and MP, the corridor can become a flagship spiritual route on the global tourism map. As India looks to increase its share in the global cultural tourism market, such inter-state partnerships will be critical.