BHUBANESWAR: Odisha will soon come up with a new tourism policy that would encourage and promote homestays in heritage properties.
Speaking at a webinar on Rebooting Indian Travel and Tourism organised by FICCI Tourism Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev said the State is revising its tourism policy which is going to be one of the most progressive policies offering best incentives to investors.
“Short term, medium term and long-term strategies are being drawn up to tide over the crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government has constituted an inter-Ministerial Committee, which is taking up the issues of waiver and deferment of payment of statutory dues,” he said.
Discussion is on to opt for billing-based on actual consumption instead of minimum demand load as demanded by the tourism industry.
While steps are being taken to provide lump sum assistance to guides, photographers and boatmen, who have lost their livelihoods, the Tourism Secretary said proposal of making all licences valid for five years with random inspections rather than people having to apply every year is being examined. It has been decided to take up Odia cuisine-based promotion, he informed.
The State boasts of around 360 tourist spots and Odisha Tourism has clubbed the destinations across 13 priority sectors to improve quality of experience for the tourists.