Lighthouse visits rise to 18.63 lakh a year; 25 more lighthouses to open for tourists
Representative image: martinklass / Pixabay
India's lighthouses drew 18.63 lakh visitors in 2024-25, up from about 4 lakh in 2014; 75 are open to tourists and 25 more are proposed, figures from October 10, 2026 show.
What Happened
Visits to India's lighthouses have risen to 18.63 lakh in 2024-25, up from about four lakh in 2014, according to government figures released on October 10, 2026. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways says 75 lighthouses have already been developed as tourist destinations and that a further 25 have been proposed for the same treatment. The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships has also moved ticketing for these sites onto a single online booking portal.
Key Facts
- Lighthouse visitors: 18.63 lakh in 2024-25, against roughly four lakh in 2014, more than a fourfold rise.
- Lighthouses developed for tourism so far: 75.
- Further lighthouses proposed for tourism development: 25.
- India has about 205 lighthouses along a coastline of more than 11,000 km; some reports give the total as 204.
- Tickets are sold through a digital portal run by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships.
- Tickets bought online are valid only for the date of booking.
- Sites developed so far include Mandvi and Dwarka in Gujarat, Tadri in Karnataka, Pamban in Tamil Nadu and Vizhinjam in Kerala.
Why It Matters
Lighthouses were built to guide ships, not tourists, and many still do that job. Turning them into destinations gives coastal districts a new reason for visitors to stop: a climb to a viewing gallery, a small museum on maritime history, and often a sea view that is otherwise hard to reach. The jump in numbers suggests the idea has caught on, especially with families and weekend travellers in coastal states.
The effort began in earnest with a campaign launched in 2023 by Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to turn 75 iconic lighthouses into tourist spots, starting in Gujarat. The latest figures show that target has been met, and the proposal for 25 more points to a second phase. For local economies, each developed site can support small businesses: guides, food stalls, homestays, boat operators and handicraft sellers.
The move to online ticketing matters for visitors. Before, entry rules and timings varied from site to site. A common portal makes it easier to plan a coastal trip around several lighthouses and to know in advance what is open. Because tickets are tied to the booking date, travellers should buy them only once their plans are fixed.
There are trade-offs. Lighthouses are working navigation aids and some sit in sensitive coastal zones, so visitor access is controlled and may be limited at certain hours. Rising footfall also brings pressure on fragile shorelines and on small coastal towns that lack parking, toilets and waste management.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visitors in 2014 | about 4 lakh |
| Visitors in 2024-25 | 18.63 lakh |
| Lighthouses developed for tourism | 75 |
| Lighthouses proposed next | 25 |
| Total lighthouses in India | about 205 |
Impact
Short-term: Travellers planning winter coastal trips can book lighthouse visits online, and popular sites in Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are likely to see more visitors this season.
Long-term: If the 25 proposed sites are developed, lighthouse tourism could become a recognised coastal circuit, spreading visitors beyond crowded beach towns and adding income for fishing and coastal communities.
Who is affected: Domestic tourists, coastal communities and small businesses, state tourism departments, and the lighthouse authority, which must balance visitor access with safe operation of navigation aids.
Key Takeaway
Lighthouse visits in India have grown more than fourfold in a decade to 18.63 lakh a year, and 25 more lighthouses are now proposed for tourism on top of the 75 already open.
Questions and Answers
How many people visited India's lighthouses in 2024-25?
18.63 lakh, according to government figures released on October 10, 2026, up from about four lakh in 2014.
How many lighthouses can tourists visit?
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways says 75 lighthouses have been developed as tourist destinations, and another 25 have been proposed.
How do I book a lighthouse visit?
Tickets are sold through the online portal of the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. A ticket is valid only for the date it is booked for.
Which lighthouses are already open as attractions?
Examples named by officials include Mandvi and Dwarka in Gujarat, Tadri in Karnataka, Pamban in Tamil Nadu and Vizhinjam in Kerala.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
