TravTalk India Online Magazine
Odisha Tourism is targeting to receive 500,000 foreign tourists out of a total of 2.5 crore by 2022. The state tourism board is also keen on promoting Odisha in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and replicate its environmentally-sensitive Marine Drive Eco Retreat model at suitable times of the year.
Hazel Jain
After facing severe setbacks caused by Cyclone Fani in 2019, Odisha Tourism is recovering slowly and has set a milestone target for itself for 2022. According to Vishal K Dev IAS, Secretary, Odisha Tourism, “Through our efforts, we are targeting to receive foreign tourist arrivals of about 500,000, out of a total of 2.5 crore tourist arrivals, by 2022. Our top 10 source markets for FTAs are USA, UK, Japan, China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Malaysia and the CIS, with the top four markets contributing over 30 per cent of total FTA. We are additionally very keen on promoting Odisha in the Middle East and Southeast Asia now. Sports tourism and sporting events as well as eco-tourism are a few segments that have been witnessing the most promising response from these markets.”
We are also looking to consolidate an investment-ready land bank of over 2000 acres for the sector in the coming years
According to official statistics, the damages borne by public sector tourism properties from Cyclone Fani amounted to about ₹25 crore, while the private sector suffered damages amounting to over ₹130 crore. The total revenue loss for the tourism sector was pegged at over ₹1300 crore. Another challenge that Odisha Tourism faced was creating a land bank for developing premium tourism and hospitality infrastructure. “We are looking to consolidate an investment- ready land bank of over 2000 acres for the sector in the coming years,” Dev revealed.
He also spoke about a few mile- stones that the tourism board has achieved in 2019, the most prominent of them being the launch of Marine Drive Eco Retreat. It has been developed as an environmentally sustainable model incorporating best practices in material utilisation, zero liquid and sewerage discharge, and holistic waste management. It has been envisioned as eastern India’s first glamping setup at the Ramachandi Beach near the grand Konark Sun Temple. Scheduled from 14 December 2019 to 31 January 2020, the Eco Retreat is a unique experience of glamping in 50 luxury cottages along with adventure activities and water sports. “We plan to replicate the Eco Retreat model at suitable times of the year on prominent beach stretches along our 482 km coastline, each having its own unique experience,” Dev added.
