CHANCHAL GOLA/ Ramnagar
A decline has been recorded in the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting Jim Corbett National Park so far this year with the tourism experts attributing it to the West Asia volatility. As per the data released by the park administration, 3,89,997 Indian and 10,949 foreign tourists visited the park between April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, compared to 4,48,095 Indian and 11,300 foreign visitors during 2024–25. Along with the Gulf uncertainty, the LPG crunch and its rising prices are impacting tourist footfalls negatively.
Notably, the park opens to visitors every year on November 15, while night stays are suspended from June 15 due to the monsoon season. However, the Dhela and Jhirna zones remain open for safaris throughout the year.
This is the first significant decline in tourist numbers since the COVID-19 period, raising concerns among local hotels, guides and those dependent on the tourism industry. After a steady upward trend in recent years, this dip is being seen as a worrying sign for the upcoming season.
