Bhubaneswar ,Feb, 26:A new chapter in adventure tourism has begun in Odisha. The state is now set to emerge as a leading adventure tourism destination in Eastern India.
On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida launched the “Go Adventure” portal at Lok Seva Bhavan. On the same occasion, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the Aero Club of India (ACI).
“Safety is Paramount” – Deputy Chief Minister
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief Minister said the state government is giving special focus to the development of adventure tourism. Moving beyond spiritual tourism, a new roadmap is being prepared to integrate experiential tourism into Odisha’s tourism landscape, with safety as the top priority.
She noted that promoting adventure tourism will attract young entrepreneurs to invest in the sector and create a new dimension in Odisha’s tourism scenario. She appreciated the collaborative efforts of the Tourism, Sports, and Home Departments in working together to make Odisha a world-class tourism destination.
“Think India, Think Odisha” – Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary Anu Garg stated that adventure tourism will significantly boost the local economy and generate wide employment opportunities. She called upon stakeholders to adopt the mantra “Think India, Think Odisha” while presenting a new direction for the state’s tourism growth.
Key Highlights
Launch of the “Go Adventure” Portal
MoUs signed with IMF and ACI
Licensing of domestic adventure tourism operators
Officials said the Go Adventure portal will simplify the registration, verification, and licensing process for adventure tourism projects.
Through the agreement with IMF, safety audits and training programs for land-based adventure activities such as trekking and rock climbing will be strengthened. The partnership with ACI will help regulate and expand aerial adventure sports like paragliding and paramotoring in accordance with national aviation safety norms.
To improve ease of doing business, domestic operators have been issued “License to Operate” (LTO) and “Recognition to Set Up” (RTS) certificates. Several adventure tourism operators were formally handed over licenses during the event.
Among the distinguished guests were Rajiv Pratap Rudy, former Union Minister and President of ACI, and Dr. Pawan Gupta from the National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), who joined virtually.
Also present were Fire Services and Emergency Services DG Sudhanshu Sarangi, Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh, Sports and Youth Services Secretary R. S. Poonia, Tourism Director Deepak Mohapatra, ACI General Secretary Arvind Badoni, IMF Honorary Secretary Karti Paisa, and Fire Services IG Umashankar Das.
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