THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, JUNE 17, 2026

Emphasising that tourism has the potential to emerge as a powerful driver of Odisha’s economic growth, employment generation, entrepreneurship and regional prosperity, Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday called for a coordinated, convergence-based approach to transform the state’s tourism hubs into globally competitive destinations. Chairing a State-Level Workshop on “Development of Global Standard Tourist Destinations in Odisha” at Lokaseva Bhawan, she underscored the need for world-class infrastructure, seamless visitor experiences, environmental sustainability and community participation to position Odisha prominently on the global tourism map.

The workshop was organised by the Department of Tourism in line with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India’s initiative to develop at least one Global Standard Tourist Destination in every state under the vision of “One State – One Global Destination” envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing senior government officials, district administrations, tourism experts and industry stakeholders, Parida stressed the importance of destination-specific development plans that strike a balance between tourism growth, ecological conservation and inclusive community engagement. She highlighted that a collaborative effort involving all stakeholder departments would be essential to unlock Odisha’s immense tourism potential and create internationally benchmarked destinations.

During the workshop, the Department of Tourism presented two proposed destinations under the initiative — Puri–Konark and Hirakud. The Puri–Konark region was showcased as a world-class heritage, spiritual and coastal tourism circuit centred around the Jagannath culture, the Konark Sun Temple, Odisha’s scenic coastline, Chilika Lake and the heritage village of Raghurajpur. Hirakud was presented as a high-potential eco-tourism, water-tourism and adventure-tourism destination anchored around the vast Hirakud Reservoir and the biodiversity-rich Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

The deliberations focused on key aspects of destination planning, including the establishment of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), infrastructure enhancement, visitor management systems, sustainability frameworks, governance mechanisms, private sector participation and inter-departmental convergence. Participants also discussed strategies for improving tourism amenities, strengthening last-mile connectivity, enriching visitor experiences and attracting responsible investments under the Odisha Tourism Policy.

Speaking on the occasion, Sachin Ramchandra Yadav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary in charge of the Tourism Department, outlined the objectives of the workshop and highlighted the roadmap being pursued by the department to achieve global destination standards across the state.

The meeting was presided over by Deepankar Mohapatra, Director, Tourism. Representatives from the Departments of Works, Housing & Urban Development, Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Water Resources, Revenue & Disaster Management, Transport and Culture, along with district administrations, actively participated in the workshop.

Representatives from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Odisha Association of Tour Operators (OATO) and Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) were also present and shared valuable recommendations on developing globally competitive tourism destinations in Odisha.