BHUBANESWAR: The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) on Thursday sought intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the state government for enhancing domestic and international air connectivity to the capital city.
In a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and principal secretary to prime minister PK Mishra, HRAO chairman and State Tourism Advisory Council member JK Mohanty said there is urgent need for increasing domestic and international air connectivity to and from Bhubaneswar.
Mohanty sought direct flights linking Bhubaneswar with Surat, Tirupati, Bhopal, Shirdi, Srinagar, Dehradun, Indore, Goa, Jaipur and Lucknow, and Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
“Odisha is emerging as an important destination for tourism, industry, trade, investment and business opportunities, supported by growing industrial base and progressive policy initiatives of the state government. However, inadequate direct air connectivity to Bhubaneswar, particularly to several important domestic destinations and international aviation hubs, continues to pose a significant challenge to the state’s growth potential,” Mohanty stated.
He said limited direct air connectivity to and from Bhubaneswar is adversely affecting not only the growth of tourism but also Odisha’s potential to attract investments, promote trade and commerce, generate employment and accelerate its overall economic development.
Mohanty said the state government is undertaking several proactive initiatives to promote tourism, attract investments and develop world-class tourism infrastructure, including the ambitious plan to facilitate approximately 15,000 additional hotel rooms across the state.
However, the full potential of these investments and initiatives can only be realised when supported by adequate and convenient air connectivity. The HRAO chairman said Bhubaneswar Airport has demonstrated strong and sustained passenger growth, handling over 5 million passengers in 2025-26. At the same time, domestic connectivity has reduced considerably in 2026, creating an opportunity to restore important routes and introduce destinations with tourism, business, pilgrimage and passenger demand.