With 1.8 lakh visitors, 2022 ends on a happy note for Kaziranga National Park

GUWAHATI: Despite the fresh surge in Covid-19 in some countries, the Kaziranga National Park (KNP), a Unesco world heritage site, is witnessing an unprecedented tourist footfall. More than 1.8 lakh visitors thronged Kaziranga this year. Most of them visited the park after it reopened in October.
Hotels and lodges were booked till the year-end, while January also seems promising for the tourism sector.
KNP director Jatindra Sarma told TOI that there has been a 25% increase in footfall in Kaziranga this month, compared to December last year. “It is heartening to share that there was zero poaching in KNP this year. This is an all-time record. Simultaneously, there has been a constant increase in tourist flow and more are expected in January,” he added.
There has been a consistent rise in the number of domestic and foreign tourists since October. The park authorities said the number of tourists swelled from 27,393 in October to 40,470 in November. In December, nearly 62,000 tourists enjoyed jeep and elephant safari in Kaziranga, the records said.
“KNP has earned an estimated Rs 1.6 crore revenue in December,” Sarma said.
Most of the leading hotels and lodges, offering the best facilities to foreign and domestic travellers, have been booked for January, especially during Bihu and other holidays.