Pic Credit: Pexel
Bhubaneswar, June 18: Odisha has initiated steps to develop internationally benchmarked tourism destinations, identifying the Puri-Konark region and Hirakud as key focus areas under the Centre’s “One State – One Global Destination” initiative.
A state-level workshop on the development of global-standard tourism destinations was held at Lokaseva Bhawan on Wednesday, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida. The session brought together senior officials, district administrations, tourism experts, and industry stakeholders to chart a roadmap for transforming Odisha’s tourism sector.
The Tourism Minister said Odisha’s tourism potential can play a major role in driving economic growth, generating employment, and promoting entrepreneurship across the state. She emphasised the need for coordinated planning across departments to ensure holistic and sustainable destination development.
Officials said the initiative focuses on creating destination-specific development plans that combine infrastructure development with environmental conservation and community participation.
During the workshop, detailed proposals were presented for the two identified destinations. The Puri-Konark region is proposed to be developed as a heritage, spiritual, and coastal tourism hub, centred around Jagannath culture, the Konark Sun Temple, Chilika Lake, Odisha’s coastline, and Raghurajpur heritage village.
Hirakud has been identified as a potential eco-tourism, water tourism, and adventure tourism destination, with emphasis on the Hirakud Reservoir and Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
Discussions covered key areas such as tourism infrastructure, visitor experience, sustainability frameworks, governance models, last-mile connectivity, and private sector participation. Stakeholders also stressed the need to improve tourism amenities and attract responsible investment under the Odisha Tourism Policy.
Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Yadav highlighted the department’s roadmap for achieving global destination standards and strengthening Odisha’s position in the national and international tourism market.
The workshop saw participation from multiple departments including Works, Housing & Urban Development, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Water Resources, Revenue and Disaster Management, Transport, and Culture, along with representatives from tourism and adventure organisations.
Officials said the initiative aims to position Odisha as a leading tourism destination by developing world-class experiences while ensuring sustainability, heritage conservation, and community engagement.
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