BHUBANESWAR: Tourism Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev stressed the collaboration of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) and the State government to encourage more women entrepreneurs in the tourism and hospitality sectors to promote their project initiatives.
Speaking at a webinar on ‘Reviving tourism and hospitality in the new normal’, Dev discussed economic and social consequences of pandemic on the tourism and hospitality sector, feasibility of revival and exploring the cross nation avenues towards the resuscitation in the new normal.
“Three policies have been enacted by the State to revive the tourism and hospitality industries. The focus is on for promotion of home stays at specific locations and heritage properties and deployment of advanced facilities to attract tourists. At present, the tourism policy is providing 20 per cent (pc) subsidy on the capital investment with five pc extra subsidy to women entrepreneurs,” he said.
Dev said 360 places have been identified as tourism destinations. Of which, 44 locations will be prioritised for development with amenities and other facilities with an objective to improve the tourist footfalls and increase the average duration of stay, he added.
Chairperson of FLO Bhubaneswar Dharitri Patnaik said development of infrastructure for tourists has enormous potential of employment and income generation, foreign exchange earnings and values addition to the State.
In order to promote community-based tourism, Patnaik said FLO has initiated the village adoption programme in Odisha in partnership with Humara Bachpan Trust and Chilika Development Authority (CDA).
National president of FLO Janhabi said though the tourism sector is a sustainable economic upliftment model, women’s role in the sector has been unrecognised, unacknowledged and under monetised. Author Jacqueline Lundquist and Stal Kumar Palbabu from International Trade Centre, Myanmar also spoke.