BHUBANESWAR : Union minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday called upon the state government to take advantage of its unique offerings and invest more on drawing tourists seeking exotic experience.
Delivering the keynote address at the 6th edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar here, Shekhawat said, post-Covid, there has been a paradigm shift in the way Indians are travelling. They are now investing in experiential travel and Odisha has plenty to offer.
“Odisha’s unique culture, dance, crafts and cuisine makes it an exceptional and unparalleled destination. The state only needs to work on curating these experiences with special focus on infrastructure,” he said.
Highlighting the uniqueness of Odisha, Shekhawat said to enhance the tourism experience and product offerings, the state has to develop holistic infrastructure which will be the key to driving growth in the sector.
As far as Odia cuisine is concerned, the Union minister suggested the Tourism department identify one food product of each district and promote them in the global market.
“Considering the potential of the state in nature-based, culture-based or adventure-based tourism, it will place itself prominently in the tourism map of the country in the days to come. The Odisha government has come out with new incentives to draw more tourism investments and this will help in rapid growth of the sector. The central government is ready to contribute towards this growth,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, deputy chief minister Pravati Parida emphasised the importance of private sector participation in tourism. “Odisha offers a diverse range of tourism experiences but its potential remains largely untapped. To realise this potential, it is now time to develop new ideas, and we welcome the private sector participation in this. The government can act as a facilitator but infrastructure and business will be done by the private sector,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Shekhawat and Parida chaired a meeting on strategies to position Odisha as a premier global tourism destination.