Gaya Airport has started direct flights to Thailand, with a foreign Buddhist pilgrimage plane arriving at the airport. As soon as the foreign planes landed on the runway of Gaya Airport, the airport authority saluted them with water cannons. The airport officials and Buddhist monks from Thailand performed the inauguration ceremony. With the start of regular international flights from Gaya, the atmosphere of Bodh Gaya has started to change. Besides Thailand, flights from Myanmar and Bhutan are also operating from Gaya Airport.
The sound of the mantra “Buddham Sharanam Gachhami” is resonating in Bodh Gaya these days, attracting foreign tourists. From morning till evening, the atmosphere of Bodh Gaya has become Buddha-like with the sound of the mantra “Buddham Sharanam Gachhami”. Buddhist devotees from countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos have arrived in Bodh Gaya. Foreign pilgrims are reaching the Mahabodhi temple and paying their respects to Lord Buddha by joining their hands. At the Buddhist monasteries, the ritual of offering difficult robes is taking place. The Mahabodhi temple is hosting special ceremonies sponsored by many countries. It is expected that a large number of foreign tourists will come here.
Thai Airways is now operating at Gaya Airport, providing a boost to tourism along with the arrival of travelers from abroad. Thai Airways is operating on the Bangkok-Gaya-Bangkok route. Prior to this, Thai Smile, a subsidiary of Thai Airways, was operating from Gaya Airport.
Tourism business owners in Bodh Gaya are also happy to see foreign tourists after 6 months. They have high hopes that this tourism season will provide significant relief from the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. It should be noted that tourism in the state, particularly in Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, and Vaishali, heavily relies on foreign tourists. Due to the impact of COVID-19, businesses here suffered heavy losses as the arrival of foreign tourists came to a halt. This year, a large number of foreign tourists are coming here.
गया एयरपोर्ट से थाईलैंड के लिए उड़ान शुरू हो गई है और इसके साथ ही थाईलैंड से आए विदेशी यात्रियों का आगमन भी हुआ है। गया एयरपोर्ट के रनवे पर विदेशी विमानों की लैंडिंग होते ही एयरपोर्ट ऑथिरिटी ने वाटर कैनन से सैल्यूट दिया। इसके साथ ही बोधगया में महाबोधि मंदिर में बौद्ध श्रद्धालुओं की भी बढ़ी संख्या में आने की उम्मीद है। गया एयरपोर्ट से थाईलैंड के अलावे म्यांमार और भूटान के विमानों की उड़ान भी जारी है। पर्यटन व्यवसायियों को आर्थिक तंगी से उबरने की उम्मीद है।
