Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with family members, arrived in Ranthambore on Tuesday amid a massive surge in tourist footfall across Rajasthan ahead of the New Year celebrations. The visit comes at a time when the state’s major tourist destinations are witnessing one of their busiest seasons in recent years.
Located in Sawai Madhopur district, Ranthambore is globally known for its tiger reserve and rich biodiversity, making it a perennial favourite among wildlife enthusiasts and holidaymakers. Like Ranthambore, cities such as Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Jodhpur have reported heavy crowds, while prominent religious destinations are also seeing unusually high numbers of devotees.
According to tourism officials, Jaisalmer’s iconic Sonar Fort and Sam Sand Dunes are packed with domestic and international tourists enjoying desert camps, cultural programmes and New Year events. In Udaipur, hotels and resorts have been fully booked since Christmas, with room tariffs rising three to four times due to high demand. Long queues have been reported at popular attractions including Lake Pichola, City Palace, Sajjangarh Fort and the Karni Mata ropeway.
Jaipur, the state capital, has also seen unprecedented footfall at heritage sites. On Monday alone, thousands of visitors flocked to landmarks such as Hawa Mahal, Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort and the Albert Hall Museum. Tour guides say the Pink City has remained overcrowded since the weekend, leading to traffic congestion in old city areas.
In Jodhpur, daily visitors to Mehrangarh Fort have nearly doubled, while safaris at Sariska Tiger Reserve are reportedly fully booked until January 5. Religious centres like Khatushyamji, Salasar Balaji, Mehandipur Balaji and Sanwalia Seth temple have also drawn massive crowds.
With hotels and heritage properties operating at full capacity statewide, authorities have implemented traffic diversions and safety measures. Jaipur Police have also launched a road safety initiative, urging visitors not to drink and drive during the festive rush.
