State to have homestay, adventure sports policy soon | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: To position Odisha as a premier global tourist destination, the state govt is set to introduce the Odisha Homestay Policy and Odisha Adventure Sports Policy soon. Also, Odisha Tourism is planning to launch a campaign titled ‘Wed in Odisha’ in line with ‘Wed in India’ to promote the state as a prime destination for weddings, especially temple and heritage weddings.
Announcing these initiatives ahead of the Odisha Travel Bazar 2025, scheduled from Feb 24-27 in Bhubaneswar, deputy chief minister and tourism minister Pravati Parida emphasised the govt’s commitment to expanding tourism infrastructure. “Odisha will no more be a best-kept secret, as we are going to reveal the secret to the world. Every corner of the state whispers a unique story and provides ample scope for exploring nature. Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, pristine beaches, and adventure tourism potential make it an ideal tourist hub. The homestay and adventure sports policies will encourage local entrepreneurship while attracting global tourists,” Parida said, adding that Odisha Travel Bazaar.
With the Union govt’s renewed focus on Odisha’s tourism sector, the state is also working on a collaborative initiative with the Centre for the development of Buddhist sites. This move aims to boost heritage tourism, particularly attracting Buddhist pilgrims from Southeast Asia. “The rich Buddhist corridor of the state at Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udaygiri, along with other sites, will get a major boost in infrastructure and amenities under the renewed focus of the Centre. In the next six months, people of Odisha can feel the change, and tourism is going to be one of the major contributors to the state’s GDP,” he said.
The ‘Wed in Odisha’ campaign will promote the state’s scenic and heritage locations as ideal wedding destinations. “Odisha has some of the most beautiful ancient monuments and temple complexes. With ‘Wed in Odisha,’ we aim to attract destination weddings, temple weddings, and cultural tourism,” Parida added.
Admitting the fact that the inflow of foreign tourists to the state has dropped significantly, Tourism secretary Balwant Singh said, “The state has not reached the number of foreign tourists in pre-Covid times. Last year, the state received 43,000 foreign tourists, which we are trying to improve through extensive marketing and promotion of our products.”
The Odisha Travel Bazar-2025 will bring together international and domestic tourism stakeholders, travel operators, and investors to explore the state’s tourism potential and promote Odisha’s diverse offerings on the global map. Around 100 domestic tour operators from over 30 cities across India and close to 30 foreign tour operators from 17 countries like the UK, Australia, Germany, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Singapore, and others are participating in the event. “This year, tour operators from each district of Odisha have been invited to showcase the tourism potential and interact with tour operators from other states and countries,” Singh said.
Announcing these initiatives ahead of the Odisha Travel Bazar 2025, scheduled from Feb 24-27 in Bhubaneswar, deputy chief minister and tourism minister Pravati Parida emphasised the govt’s commitment to expanding tourism infrastructure. “Odisha will no more be a best-kept secret, as we are going to reveal the secret to the world. Every corner of the state whispers a unique story and provides ample scope for exploring nature. Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, pristine beaches, and adventure tourism potential make it an ideal tourist hub. The homestay and adventure sports policies will encourage local entrepreneurship while attracting global tourists,” Parida said, adding that Odisha Travel Bazaar.
With the Union govt’s renewed focus on Odisha’s tourism sector, the state is also working on a collaborative initiative with the Centre for the development of Buddhist sites. This move aims to boost heritage tourism, particularly attracting Buddhist pilgrims from Southeast Asia. “The rich Buddhist corridor of the state at Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udaygiri, along with other sites, will get a major boost in infrastructure and amenities under the renewed focus of the Centre. In the next six months, people of Odisha can feel the change, and tourism is going to be one of the major contributors to the state’s GDP,” he said.
The ‘Wed in Odisha’ campaign will promote the state’s scenic and heritage locations as ideal wedding destinations. “Odisha has some of the most beautiful ancient monuments and temple complexes. With ‘Wed in Odisha,’ we aim to attract destination weddings, temple weddings, and cultural tourism,” Parida added.
Admitting the fact that the inflow of foreign tourists to the state has dropped significantly, Tourism secretary Balwant Singh said, “The state has not reached the number of foreign tourists in pre-Covid times. Last year, the state received 43,000 foreign tourists, which we are trying to improve through extensive marketing and promotion of our products.”
The Odisha Travel Bazar-2025 will bring together international and domestic tourism stakeholders, travel operators, and investors to explore the state’s tourism potential and promote Odisha’s diverse offerings on the global map. Around 100 domestic tour operators from over 30 cities across India and close to 30 foreign tour operators from 17 countries like the UK, Australia, Germany, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Singapore, and others are participating in the event. “This year, tour operators from each district of Odisha have been invited to showcase the tourism potential and interact with tour operators from other states and countries,” Singh said.
