Nearly 5.35 lakh tourists, including 38,182 foreigners, visited the Hampi world heritage site during 2016-17.
Though the tourist season commences in September every year, the inflow of tourist traffic, particularly foreigners, will gradually be on the rise.
From 1,050 in September 2016 the footfall went up to 2,700 in October, 5,000 in November, 5,200 in December, 7,200 during January 2017 (being the highest during the year 2016-17) and saw a decline from February (6,800) and 4,700 in March.
Similarly, December saw the highest inflow of domestic tourists of 80,000 and gradually declined in the subsequent months, owing to school exams. Braving the scorching sun, tourists, both domestic and foreign, have been seen moving around Hampi visiting monuments.
Tourists from abroad, most of whom camp at Hampi for over a week, can also be seen enjoying the natural landscape too.
Sources in the Archaeological Survey of India, Mini Circle, Hampi, have said that only the statistics of tourists pertain only to those visiting ticketed monuments – Vittala temple complex, housing the stone chariot and musical pillars, Lotus Mahal and museum at Kamalapur – have been made available.
The number of tourists visiting Hampi would be much higher if the children (below the age of 15 entry into the ticketed monuments is free) are taken into account, they said.
The increased entry ticket for the world heritage monuments – ₹30 per person (Indians) and ₹500 for foreigners – has also enhanced the revenue for the Union government.
During 2016-17, the site has fetched revenue of ₹3.40 crore, including ₹1.90 crore that of foreigners.
