Over 1,29,000 foreigners visited Taj Mahal during CWG: Govt

NEW DELHI: 1.29 lakh foreign tourists visited the Taj Mahal in October this year when the country hosted Commonwealth Games.

A total of 1,29,390 foreign tourists visited the "centrally protected monuments at Agra, including Taj Mahal," in the month of October, compared to 1,23,371 foreigners who visited the heritage site in the same month last year, Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

According to the data presented by the Minister, a total of 5,55,352 domestic tourists also visited the Taj Mahal in October. Commonwealth Games were organised in Delhi between October 3 and 14.

In 2009, the 16th Century monument had attracted 5,81,414 international visitors, while their number was 5,09,681 in 2008 and 6,13,706 the previous year, the Minister said citing data from Archaeological Survey of India.

Similarly, the data shows that 29,70,221 Indian tourists visited Taj Mahal in 2009, while their number was 26,22,956 in 2008 and 27,42,041 in 2007.