Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park experienced its most successful year to date, drawing a record 4.68 lakh tourists during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that this 15 percent increase over the previous year's 4.06 lakh visitors signals a major shift in the state's tourism profile. A decade ago, the park hosted only 1.55 lakh annual visitors.
Foreign tourism saw a particularly sharp rise, jumping from 17,693 to 30,474 visitors. Since April 2025, the park has already welcomed 5.48 lakh guests. Sarma credited this global recognition to high-profile visits from figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the King of Bhutan, alongside over 60 Heads of Mission.
The park's success is tied to extensive conservation achievements, including several years of zero rhino poaching. Ecologists have observed a thriving environment, evidenced by the return of migratory birds, growth in the one-horned rhinoceros population, and the rare sighting of a Golden Tiger. Expanding infrastructure has also bolstered interest, with new boat safaris, trekking routes, and cycling trails designed to benefit local communities.
The government plans to continue balancing ecological protection with development. The upcoming Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project aims to facilitate safer animal migration while improving transport connectivity. Sarma emphasized that the state's policy remains centered on protecting natural habitats while building globally competitive tourism destinations that support local livelihoods.
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