Bhubaneswar: Experts at a plenary session of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Wednesday suggested that many of Odisha’s less-explored tourism sites can be developed as places to hold destination weddings, instead of going abroad.
Amitav Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Ayog, said, “We need to return to our roots, develop strong marketing strategies and promote tourism. We should boost the private sector in setting up hospitality industries. Govt is not there to run hotels. Govt can develop last-mile connectivity for accessible tourism.”
The panellists discussed Odisha’s untapped potential in the tourism sector, particularly in developing new destinations.
Akshita M Bhanjdeo, director of Mayurbhanj Foundation and editor-in-chief of a travel magazine, spoke about promoting tourism in remote places and engaging more women. Similipal Tiger Reserve is located in Mayurbhanj, and it has been transformed into an eco-tourism hub with five facilities inside the STR that draw tourists in droves from early winter to early summer. Similipal is considered to be the only reserve in the world to have melanistic (black-striped) Royal Bengal tigers.
Chetan Vohra, an experiential architect, said wedding planners should now look to woo and inform potential clients about India’s and especially Odisha’s best wedding locations.
Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida, who also hold the tourism portfolio, said the brainstorming in the panel discussion was meant to put the focus back on Odisha’s unexplored tourism potential. “Although we are developing eco-tourism sites in various forests, near wetlands, sanctuaries and reserves, we also need focus on developing destinations that can attract wedding planners,” she said.