New Delhi, June 5 -- In 2017, Ayodhya saw a modest footfall of just 30 lakh tourists. Fast forward to 2025. Institutional projections estimate that annual footfalls to the holy city will scale to nearly 50 crore, a figure that eclipses the annual visitor density of recognised global and domestic spiritual centres like Jerusalem, Vatican City, Amritsar, and Varanasi. This unprecedented influx of visitors is turning this pilgrimage hub into a premier investment destination for real estate.

The catalyst for this is the Ram Mandir, consecrated in 2024, but that is not the full story. Historically, India's major spiritual hubs like Varanasi, Tirupati, and Haridwar have demonstrated resilient economic growth. A similar trend is being seen in A...