The number of tourists coming to Bihar registered a sharp decline as per the half-yearly tourist footfall report released by the state tourism department recently. According to the report, the number of tourists coming to the state came down from 61,52,927 in April-July 2015 to 42,84,023 over the same period this year, a fall of 30%.

The number of foreign tourists has also come down from 1,91,633 in 2015 to 1,74,582 this year in the April- July period. Incidentally, Bihar was declared a dry state byNitish Kumar government on April 5 this year.

Tourism experts attributed the plunge in tourists' arrival to total prohibition in the state and claimed that the number of tourists is likely to plunge further with imposition of harsher prohibition norms.

"Prohibition would definitely have a significant negative impact on tourism. Tourists mostly want to relax in the evening with a couple of pegs. If they are not allowed it, they would either not come to the place or avoid staying for long," said Subhash Verma, former president of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India.

Citing other reasons for fall in tourist footfall, Verma said, "Many other states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are doing aggressive branding of tourism in their states, but Bihar is almost silent on this front. Besides, a perception has lately emerged elsewhere in the country that law and order in Bihar has deteriorated. Infrastructure at tourist spots has also not improved."

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