Bhubaneswar: Odisha has initiated efforts to position its tourism destinations on the global map, with the State Government beginning preparations to develop world-class tourism hubs under the “One State – One Global Destination” vision of the Government of India.
To take the initiative forward, Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday chaired a State-Level Workshop on Development of Global Standard Tourist Destinations at Lokaseva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The workshop brought together senior government officials, district administrations, tourism experts and industry stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for creating internationally competitive tourism destinations in Odisha.
Addressing the gathering, Parida highlighted tourism as a strategic sector capable of accelerating economic growth, creating employment opportunities, encouraging entrepreneurship and driving regional development. She stressed the importance of coordinated planning across departments to deliver high-quality infrastructure, improved visitor services and globally benchmarked tourism experiences.
The Minister also called for destination-specific planning that integrates tourism expansion with environmental protection and local community participation, stating that sustainable growth would remain central to Odisha’s tourism development approach.
During the workshop, the Department of Tourism presented two proposed destinations under the initiative—Puri–Konark and Hirakud.
The Puri–Konark circuit was projected as a global heritage, spiritual and coastal tourism destination built around Jagannath culture, the Konark Sun Temple, Odisha’s coastline, Chilika and the cultural heritage of Raghurajpur village. Meanwhile, Hirakud was proposed as a destination with strong potential for eco-tourism, water-based recreation and adventure tourism centred around the Hirakud Reservoir and Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
Participants discussed key aspects of destination development including planning frameworks, creation of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), infrastructure expansion, visitor management systems, governance structures, sustainability measures and private sector participation. Deliberations also focused on improving tourism amenities, strengthening last-mile connectivity and attracting responsible investments under the Odisha Tourism Policy.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary in charge of the Tourism Department, Sachin Ramchandra Yadav, outlined the Department’s roadmap for achieving global destination standards and highlighted the broader objectives of the initiative.
The workshop was presided over by Tourism Director Deepankar Mohapatra and witnessed participation from multiple departments including Works, Housing & Urban Development, Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Water Resources, Revenue & Disaster Management, Transport and Culture, along with district administrations and representatives from national tourism and hospitality organisations.
The exercise marks Odisha’s latest push to strengthen its tourism ecosystem and create destinations capable of competing on a global stage while ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth.
