Weavers & Artisans To Be Trained To Manage Tourism In Odisha

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Bhubaneswar: As part of Odisha Government’s effort to integrate handloom and handicraft sector with tourism, 730 weavers and artisans from different parts of the state will be trained in hospitality and tourism management, reports said on Sunday.

Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department has worked out a plan to impart training to master weavers, awardees, entrepreneurs and handicraft artisans of 73 handloom clusters across the state in phases. The unique move is aimed at giving a boost to the tourism sector.

The department has roped in faculty of Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management for the purpose. The initiative will be implemented through State Agency for Development of Handloom Clusters.

A total of 80 weavers from Jajpur, Cuttack, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts were recently given training on various aspects of hospitality and soft skills in the first phase, they said, adding that the programme will play a major role in promoting rural tourism in the state.

The state has weavers’ craft villages – Bayanagram – at Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur and work is underway to develop Maniabandha Buddhist Handloom Village in Cuttack, and Tassar Craft Village at Gopalpur in Jajpur.

The handloom clusters and crafts villages are getting both domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers. Therefore, it is necessary for the artisans to have the skill set to engage the tourists in an informative and enriching hands on experience, an official said.