Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said the Odisha government has identified 17 destinations for development to promote tourism.
Welcoming the stakeholders of travel and tourism industry to the 4th edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar, a flagship event of Odisha Tourism that will showcase India’s best kept secrets, the chief minister said Odisha has been taking focused strides to develop and introduce several niche tourism experiences.
“We have identified 17 priority destinations encompassing beaches, biodiversity zones, heritage monuments and areas of religious and cultural importance for integrated master-planning based development. With products which are centred on key tourism offerings to match global standards, Odisha will be able to attract not just the finest brands in business of travel and hospitality but also tourists looking for experiences that are bespoke with a fresh perspective,” he said.
Naveen further said Bhubaneswar has evolved into the sports capital of India and has been hosting international marquee events since the past few years. After successfully hosting the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the state would host FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup for the consecutive second time. To make this sporting event truly world class, India’s biggest hockey stadium is coming up in Rourkela, which, along with Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar will be hosting the matches in January 2023.
“We are also tirelessly working towards enriching our tourism experiences by encouraging investments and enterprises in niche segments such as houseboat tourism, glamping, water-based adventure, camping and caravan tourism, heritage palace homestays and many more,” he said.
“With so much to welcome the world, Odisha is ready to be one of the most happening places in India. We need your active contribution to market our beautiful state,” he added.
Minister of Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Excise, and Tourism Ashwini Kumar Patra inaugurated the Odisha Travel Bazaar. Around 82 domestic tour operators from cities including Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati and Hyderabad and 25 foreign tour operators from eight countries have been invited to take part in the 3-day event.
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