‘Lighthouse Tourism Records Fivefold Rise in a Decade’, says Sarbananda Sonowal at the Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 in Visakhapatnam

• Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 (10 Jan 2026) at Visakhapatnam marked a milestone in India's effort to convert navigational lighthouses into heritage-tourism assets under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal claimed a fivefold rise in lighthouse tourism footfall in a decade — from 4 lakh (2014) to ~16 lakh (FY 2023-24) at developed lighthouses.
• Relevant for UPSC under maritime heritage, blue economy, Sagarmala, coastal tourism, MoPSW schemes.