Naveen Patnaik welcomes tourists to Odisha, assures them of a health stay
BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday threw his weight behind the Covid-battered tourism sector, inviting visitors to the state and promising them a healthy stay.
“I welcome you all to Odisha as we open the state for tourism. I look forward to giving you a safe, pleasant and comfortable experience during your stay. Ensuring the health and safety of all visitors to the state is paramount for us. We are confident that our initiatives of risk mitigation training and dissemination of Covid-19 health and safety protocols will ensure this,” Naveen conveyed in a written message on World Tourism Day.
Naveen said his government had on Sunday launched ‘Odisha by road’, an initiative aimed at reviving the pandemic-hit tourism and hospitality industry. “We are launching the ‘Odisha by road’ campaign with the Kalinga Riders programme, where we invite tourists from neighbouring states as well as within Odisha to explore the tourist destinations by road,” Naveen said. The chief minister said the government was working on an integrated master plan for the development of prime tourist destinations.
“Odisha’s treasure of timeless monuments, heritage, idyllic natural beauty, captivating landscapes, diverse flora & fauna are a travellers’ delight. On #WorldTourismDay, reiterate commitment to unlocking its vast potential in a post-pandemic world,” Naveen tweeted.
State tourism minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said there would be no restrictions on visit to tourist places from October 1. However, temples in the state, including the Jagannath temple in Puri, will remain shut for now.
World Tourism Day also saw the launch of the government’s restaurant service. For the promotion and popularization of Odia cuisine, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) will run a chain of restaurants under the brand name ‘Nimantran’. In the initial phase, Nimantran will be launched in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Sambalpur. Three food-on-wheel mobile vans will also be deployed in Bhubaneswar and Puri under the initiative, tourism secretary Vishal Kumar Dev said. Dev added that the OTDC had recently announced a day picnic package — Bana Bhoji — to enable local tourists to visit nearby nature camps.
Tourism director Sachin Jadhav said the government would organise eco-retreats or glamping events at Badmul (Satkosia), Nalitapatia (Bhitarkanika), Daringibadi, Hirakud and Ramchandi (Konark) between December 2020 and February 2021 to attract tourists.