Jeep safaris will be closed in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve of Assam from 19 May 2025. This decision has been informed through a notification issued by the Divisional Forest Officer of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division. It was told that due to rain and bad roads, driving a jeep safari can be dangerous and this step has been taken keeping in mind the safety of tourists. The ban on safari will continue till the situation improves. This information has also been shared by the Chief Minister’s Office of Assam so that tourists do not get confused and can change their plans in time.
Historic growth in tourism and record-breaking earnings
However, in April, the park set a new record. According to Field Director Sonali Ghosh, a total of 4,06,564 tourists visited Kaziranga in the financial year 2024-25, out of which 17,693 were foreign tourists. This earned the park Rs 10.90 crore, which is believed to be the highest earning till date. Ghosh said that the number of tourists visiting here has increased four times in the last ten years. The special thing is that the share of foreign tourists has now increased to 4.5 percent of the total tourists, which is an indication of the international identity of tourism.
Kaziranga shines in the eyes of the world
Kaziranga National Park is famous all over the world for its biodiversity and one-horned rhinoceros. Its popularity has increased even more in recent years. In the last two years, many historical moments are associated with this park. Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk created history by coming here. Then on 9 March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the park. He became the first Prime Minister of independent India to visit Kaziranga. Apart from this, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and ambassadors of 60 other countries also reached the park on 24 February 2025 under the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’ campaign. It is clear from this that Kaziranga is no longer just a national park but has become the identity of Assam on the international stage.
Steps towards eco-friendly tourism and global recognition
The government has announced to promote eco-friendly tourism in Kaziranga. In the recent budget, it has been announced to promote electric vehicle (EV) safari vehicles. Along with this, the 12th International Tourism Mart was organized in Kaziranga in November 2024 in which environmental protection and sustainable tourism were presented at the international level. Kaziranga has now also become an important part of the Advantage Assam Summit where work is being done to promote special skills. Not only this, the New York Times has also included Assam and Kaziranga among the top tourist destinations in the world. This honor is proof that Kaziranga now stands firmly on the global tourism map.
