Bodhgaya (Bihar), April 7 (PTI): This holy place, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, has not realised its tourism potential, hoteliers and local residents say and hope that the introduction of a new special train connecting Buddhist circuit would give a push to tourist arrivals.
"There are 350 million Buddhists in the world. But only 3,50,000 tourists visit Bodhgaya annually," Lajpat Rai of Lotus Nikko group of hotels said.
He expressed confidence that the new Maha Parinirvan Special train connecting a number of prominent Buddhist places in the country like Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Lumbini in Nepal would promote tourism in the region.
Rambali Singh, a retired tourism department employee, hoped that tourist arrivals would increase as law and order was fast improving in the region and Bihar in general.
Similar feelings were echoed by a number of local residents.
"Law and order has definitely improved. People can move around without fear," Ravinder, a local shopkeeper, said.
Singh, however, stressed that infrastructure needs to be developed in Bodhgaya to promote tourism.
"Roads, electricity needs to be and more facilities should be provided for tourists," he opined.
The local residents hoped that the new train would promote tourism in the region.
"We are not aware of the new train. Pilgrims mainly come here from Sri Lanka, Japan and other countries. Hope the train will attract more tourists," said Santosh, another shopkeeper.
Officials of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), involved in organising the special train's maiden journey expressed confidence that the train would give a boost to tourism in the region.
The Maha Parinirvan Special train held its maiden journey from the Safdarjung railway station in New Delhi from March 28 which ended on Thursday.
"There are 350 million Buddhists in the world. But only 3,50,000 tourists visit Bodhgaya annually," Lajpat Rai of Lotus Nikko group of hotels said.
He expressed confidence that the new Maha Parinirvan Special train connecting a number of prominent Buddhist places in the country like Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Lumbini in Nepal would promote tourism in the region.
Rambali Singh, a retired tourism department employee, hoped that tourist arrivals would increase as law and order was fast improving in the region and Bihar in general.
Similar feelings were echoed by a number of local residents.
"Law and order has definitely improved. People can move around without fear," Ravinder, a local shopkeeper, said.
Singh, however, stressed that infrastructure needs to be developed in Bodhgaya to promote tourism.
"Roads, electricity needs to be and more facilities should be provided for tourists," he opined.
The local residents hoped that the new train would promote tourism in the region.
"We are not aware of the new train. Pilgrims mainly come here from Sri Lanka, Japan and other countries. Hope the train will attract more tourists," said Santosh, another shopkeeper.
Officials of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), involved in organising the special train's maiden journey expressed confidence that the train would give a boost to tourism in the region.
The Maha Parinirvan Special train held its maiden journey from the Safdarjung railway station in New Delhi from March 28 which ended on Thursday.
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