Odisha govt to develop beaches, monuments to attract tourists

BHUBANESWAR: To attract more tourists to Odisha, the state government on Wednesday said it would develop several beaches, monuments and wildlife sanctuaries to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

A tourism official said a progressive and investment-friendly tourism policy has been in operation in the state since April 2013.

As per the policy, a state-level single window committee has been created for the speedy implementation of the projects, and several incentives have been announced for stakeholders as part of promotional initiatives, said Deputy Director of Odisha Tourism U K Pati.

The Odisha government will develop several beaches, monuments and wildlife sanctuaries as tourist spots, he added.
There are several scenic places in the state, like beaches at Puri, Chandipur and Gopalpur, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Simlipal National Park, Chilka Lake, Sun Temple in Konark and Jagannath Temple in Puri, among others.

According to Pati, as part of tourism promotion, the department is holding road shows in different cities.

“The department has already organised five roadshows last year and is planning to organise eight such roadshows this year,” he added.

Last year, over 1 crore domestic and 78 lakh foreign tourists visited the state, Pati added.