BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida on Sunday showcased the state’s diverse tourism potential through a dedicated tourism roadshow organised as part of Odisha Parab-2026 being held in Varanasi.
The roadshow highlighted investment opportunities and strengthening cultural, social and economic linkages between Odisha and the Odia diaspora.
The Odia Diaspora Meet, held alongside the tourism-focused engagements, brought together members of the Odia community, cultural personalities, professionals, academics and entrepreneurs to deepen their connect with Odisha. The programme was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Labour and Employment minister Anil Rajbhar, Varanasi Odia Samaj and FICCI UP tourism committee officials among others.
Addressing the diaspora, Parida said Odisha Parab is being celebrated in Varanasi for three days. The objective is to provide visitors an opportunity to experience Odisha’s abundant natural beauty, rich culture, cuisine, art and craft traditions, she said.
Parida expressed gratitude to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for extending support to the Odisha Parab and facilitating the cultural connect between Odisha and Varanasi.
The roadshow highlighted 15 tourism destinations including Puri, Konark, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, Lalitgiri, Hirakud, Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Similipal. It showcased opportunities across eco-tourism, wildlife, adventure and experiential tourism, along with Odisha’s growing potential in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment.
The second day of Odisha Parab 2026 also featured Tourism Investor and Business-to-Government (B2G) interactions, bringing together government representatives, investors and industry stakeholders to explore collaboration and investment opportunities in Odisha’s tourism sector. The sessions also highlighted the incentive structure available for tourism investments in the state.
The festival also highlighted Odisha’s broader development aspirations under Odisha Vision-2036 and Odisha Vision-2047, with tourism being positioned as a key driver of a prosperous, inclusive, sustainable and globally-recognised state.
The festival is being hosted at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul-Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum in Varanasi, with the theme ‘Faith- Culture-Cuisine-Crafts’. It will conclude on Monday.