Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s inbound tourism sector is experiencing a significant rebound, with foreign tourist visits (FTV) in 2023 surging 104.2% compared with 2022.
According to a statement in Lok Sabha in reply to a question on tourist arrival in the country by several MPs, including Aparajita Sarangi and Sangeeta Singhdeo of BJP, this translates to 45,173 visitors in 2023 compared to 22,121 in 2022.
It, however, added that the data for 2023 has been arrived at by applying all-India growth rate for 2023/2022 on 2022 data.
Odisha had seen 2,269 visitors in 2021 when the tourism sector was in doldrums owing to the COVID pandemic.
The state recovered strongly in 2022 with a significant rise in the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists. There was 875% growth in the inflow of foreign tourists and 110% growth in domestic visitors to Odisha in 2022 compared to 2021. The footfall of domestic tourists increased to 78,67,909 in 2022 from 37,42,221 in 2021. While only 2,269 foreigners had visited the state in 2021, their arrival grew to 22,121 in 2022.
While presenting the Budget 2024-2025, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Odisha is known for its scenic beauty, temples, craftsmanship, and wildlife, and the government will leverage these assets to attract more visitors to the state.
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