New Delhi: Rann Utsav that takes place every year in Gujarat’s Kutch is one of the most celebrated Indian festivals. Tourists from across the world visit Kutch to witness this cultural festival. The tourist footfalls in the Rann Utsav in Gujarat’s Kutch region fell by over half in 2020 amid the coronavirus outbreak, the state Assembly was informed.
Tourism Minister Jawahar Chavda said, in a written reply to a question, said 2,06,056 tourists participated in ”Rann Utsav” in 2020 compared to 4,38,125 in 2019.
Only 20 foreign tourists visited the festival in 2020 as compared to 4,457 in 2019, the minister said in reply to another question.
Only 25 foreign tourists visited Gujarat in 2020 compared to 6,367 a year ago for events like the international kite festival, Navratri, Rann Utsav, beach festival, etc. the minister said in reply to a question by Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar.
The department spent Rs 18.9 crore in organising various tourist events in 2020 compared to 35.8 crores in 2019.
The government earned Rs 1.45 crore from entry fees during the Rann Utsav in 2020 compared to Rs 2.10 crore a year ago, he further said.
Interestingly, Rs 9.78 crore was spent on Rann Utsav in 2020 compared to 5.12 crore in 2019, despite low tourist flow last year said the government in its reply.
As per the state tourism department, the festival is generally organised between November and February and offers a unique opportunity for people around the world to experience the flavour of the region.
(With inputs from PTI)