Varanasi/Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has called for a more integrated approach to tourism development, with the hospitality sector playing a larger role in supporting farmers, artisans, local businesses and the clean energy ecosystem.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 56th Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) Annual Convention in Varanasi, Singh Deo said tourism should be viewed not merely as a service industry but as a driver of wider economic and social development.
The convention is being held on the theme “Ananta Kashi: Leading the Future of Tourism through Spirit, Culture, Cuisine, and Craft.”
Highlighting the longstanding cultural relationship between Kashi and Odisha, Singh Deo said the spiritual traditions associated with Baba Vishwanath in Kashi and Mahaprabhu Jagannath in Puri reflect the civilisational unity of Hari and Hara.
He said such connections could be leveraged to create tourism experiences that go beyond individual destinations and allow visitors to explore India’s shared spiritual, cultural and historical traditions.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, Odisha has the potential to offer almost every major form of tourism, including spiritual, cultural, heritage, nature, culinary and craft-based experiences.
Singh Deo stressed that the economic impact of tourism extends across multiple sectors. A visitor staying at a hotel generates demand not only for accommodation but also for agricultural produce, local crafts, transport and energy.
He therefore urged hospitality businesses to strengthen local sourcing, particularly from farmers and local entrepreneurs. Such linkages, he said, can create reliable markets for local producers while retaining a greater share of tourism revenue within communities.
He also called for the wider adoption of clean energy and sustainable practices in the hospitality industry to reduce the environmental footprint of tourism.
The Deputy Chief Minister called for closer cooperation between governments, the private sector and local communities to build a stronger tourism ecosystem.
He said governments should focus on infrastructure and enabling policies, while the industry should bring investment, innovation and global standards. Local communities, he added, should be active participants and beneficiaries of tourism development.
Singh Deo also proposed greater regional cooperation to develop integrated tourism circuits linking Odisha with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and other states.
Such circuits could bring together destinations with shared cultural and spiritual connections and encourage tourists to explore multiple states as part of a single travel experience.
Concluding his address, Singh Deo emphasised that tourism growth must go hand in hand with the preservation of local heritage, culture and the environment.
He urged stakeholders to build an inclusive tourism model that creates economic opportunities for local communities while protecting the identity and character of destinations.
Quoting the principle of responsible travel, he said, “Take nothing, but memories; leave nothing, but footprints,” calling for a tourism ecosystem centred on sustainability, local heritage and community prosperity.
