Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government aims at developing the natural spots having potential for development of eco-tourism and eco-recreation centres.
Reviewing the eco-tourism scenario in the state at a high-level meeting, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra directed the officers of the departments concerned to identify around 100 suitable sites in water bodies through joint enquiry for setting up the jetties and boating facilities. He told the Forest to identify around 15 forest tracks for giving ‘jungle safari’ experience to the tourists.
In his direction to the DFOs, collectors and engineers of Water Resources department on eco-tourism, he stressed that the locations should be identified on the basis of “objective criteria of exotic experience to the tourists, and, their competitiveness for being popularized in international market”.
“Proper choice of the location and their popularisation will attract private investment to the sector soon, and, that will take state’s eco-tourism to next higher level,” he said.
PCCF Wildlife Sashi Paul said as of now, 47 destinations spreading over 18 districts including important tribal areas like Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Nayagarh have been operationalised. These locations have 333 cottages with accommodation capacity for 705 persons.
It was revealed at the meeting that the number of visitors to the eco-destinations has increased from 11,500 in 2016 to 40,019 in 2019-20. Despite COVID-19 pandemic, the number reached 57,000 in five months from November 2020 to March, 2021. The revenue earned from this activity has also increased from Rs 1.57 crore to Rs 8.32 crore during the same period.
ACS Forest and Environment Dr Mona Sharma; principal secretary, Water Resources Anu Garg; principal secretary, Tourism Vishal Dev and Director Tourism Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav along with senior officers from concerned departments participated in the deliberations.
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