Bhubaneswar: As many as 85 tour operators including 60 domestic operators from 13 states and 25 foreign tour operators from 15 countries are scheduled to participate in the third edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar (OTB) scheduled to be held here from October 14 to 20.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to inaugurate the OTB October 14 being jointly organised by state Tourism department and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
State Tourism Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said this time tour operators from Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Netherland, USA, Ukraine and UK have been invited and they are scheduled to attend the OTB.
Unlike the previous year, this time emphasis is given on domestic tour operators, he added.
While the maximum foreign tour operators are coming from China, Italy, Germany, Spain, Thailand and Netherland, the largest number of domestic tour operators is from Cochin and Mumbai.
OTB is being organised every year for the last two years to promote the vast tourism potential of the state and attract investments for tourism infrastructure development of the state.
While 59 tour operators participated in the first OTB, it went up to 75 last year.
Panigrahi said the state government has planned to organise roadshows in 12 cities of the country before organising the event. Out of the 12 cities, roadshows had already been organised in eight and it would be organised in Chenai, Varanasi, Ahmedabad and Raipur to promote tourism in the state.
The state also participated in events such as the ITB Berlin, WTM London, GITB Jaipur to woo tourists.
During the event, tour operators as well as international airline and travel writers will engage in B2B meetings with about 50 tour operators and hoteliers from Odisha who will showcase and market the tourism products of Odisha, along with Union Ministry of Tourism, and Odisha Tourism.
The key highlight of the Summit is its exclusive focus on the business of inbound and domestic tourism.
The FAM tours are being planned focusing on Odisha’s Buddhist sites, the Golden Triangle and the Ethnic Tourism Circuit set up in the state’s predominantly tribal, central and southern regions.
The FAM tour starts from Bhubaneswar and will cover Puri, Konark, Buddhist sites and Bhitarkanika National Park.
The third FAM trip will cover Tribal Market, Onkadeli and visit Desi Eco Resort, landscapes of Koraput, Jeypore.
The minister said Odisha has 357 declared tourist spots. The government has identified 13 prime tourist destinations across nine tourism circuit and developing its infrastructure to attract tourists.
Panigrahi said the government is also planning to introduce new products like house boats in Chilika and Bhitarkanikia, impart training to tourist guides in Russian and Chinese languages and organise training camp for the drivers of OLA and UBER to promote tourism in the state.
Arrangements are being made to set up eight tourist cells and train 72 personnel to provide security to tourists.
The minister said the state government is likely to request the Union government to constitute a tourism council on the lines of Eastern Zone Culture Council for the promotion of tourism in the state.
