Odisha is pocket friendly tourist destination: Official

Bhubaneswar: A senior official of Odisha describes Odisha as a pocket friendly tourist
destination having quality infrastructure and diversified product portfolio consists of forest,
sea, wildlife, tribal, hills, etc. Principal Secretary of Tourism, Govt. of Odisha Surendra Kumar
has rated Odisha amongst top states having quality roads and connectivity. He said that our
district roads are even far better than major roads of UP and Bihar.
Talking to a session organized on second day of Odisha Travel Bazaar(OTB) 2022, he said that,
“Odisha has many things to offer to tourists. In some parameters we are far ahead of others.
Our people are nice and hospitable. Our roads are very good. The most important aspect of this
state is that it is very pocket friendly. You don’t need to think much about budget.”
On this occasion, Director-Tourism Shri Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav said that, “Two boat clubs
operational in the state and infrastructure is being added to those. Two beach front
promenades at Ramchandi and Tampara Lake is already operational. Tampara Lake is gaining
great importance for people coming from Andhra Pradesh and Telengana as a tourist
destination. Our plan is to add 24 cottages which are to be managed by reputed private
operators. We are also promoting investment in tourism sector. In last four years we have
cleared 76 projects worth more than Rs 2700 crore which will create 3000 direct and 10,000
indirect employment in the state. 3000 local entrepreneurship is also being promoted through
these projects.
Talking to foreign tour operators, co-chairman of FICCI Tourism, Travel and Hospitality
Committee Shri J K Mohanty discussed about rich Buddhist culture exists in Odisha and
influence of Buddhism on emperor Ashok. Comparing Odisha with other states, he said that
people who are going to Rajasthan are only seen palaces and desert, but in Odisha they will get
chance to stay in lavish royal palaces and can visit forests and see wildlife animals. People who
are going to Agra only see Taj Mahal, but in Odisha they can see iconic Konark Temple and
many beautiful temples spread across the state.
3-day fourth Odisha Travel Bazaar 2022 is organized by the Department of Tourism, Govt. of
Odisha and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Bhubaneswar.
Smt Nirupama Biswal, Director, Gayatridevi Group, Shri Lelin Mohanty, Chairman, Odisha
Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), Hockey India President Shri Dillip Tirkey and Joint
Director-Tourism, Govt. of Odisha Biswajit Routray also spoke at the event.
Odishi and Gotipua cultural show also organized on the evening.

On second day of the event, B2B meeting between Tourism Fraternity of Odisha (Sellers) with
Domestic Tour Operators (DTOs) and Foreign Tour Operators (FTOs) and also B2G meeting with
investors and Airlines are also organized. FAM tours to destinations of the state like
Bhubaneswar, Konark, Puri, Chilika, Dhauli, Bhitarkanika and Lalitgiri are also planned. Sellers
are participated and exhibit their products in the exhibition.
About 25 Foreign Tour Operators from countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal,
Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam and 83 buyers from cities like Aurangabad, Bangalore,
Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chandrapur, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi,
Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mangalgiri, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nasik, New Delhi and NCR, Panjim, Pune,
Raipur, Rohtak, Siliguri, Surendra Nagar, Trivendrum, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam participated
in the event.