Fighting Overtourism: Madhya Pradesh Looks to Introduce Tourist Registration System — India Report

The central state of Madhya Pradesh could introduce a tourist registration system for its religious sites, including the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Skift has learnt from sources. The move aims to tackle the issue of overtourism and overcrowding at the state’s top tourist destinations. 

The registration system is in line with Uttarakhand’s mandatory registration for pilgrimage to the temples of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, or Hemkund Sahib. 

“We want to ensure that we cap the number of tourists according to our infrastructure capabilities, so that we can provide visitors with a good experience,” according to sources. However, this is still in the planning stage and the details are yet to be finalized.

Tourism Boom in Madhya Pradesh: The government of Madhya Pradesh last week revealed that it received over 112 million tourists in 2023, surpassing pre-Covid levels. 

This was significantly higher than the 34.1 million visitors recorded in 2022, an increase of nearly 230%. 

Places of religious significa