Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Oct 1: The coastal state of Orissa seems to be a favourite tourist destination of people from the United Kingdom, claims the statistical bulletin of the state tourism department.
The compilation of tourism-related information from the department based on the data collected from tourist offices, airlines office and hotels across the state hints at the UK preferring the state when it comes to choosing a favorable tourist destination.
According to the annual statistical report, a total of 9,890 tourists from the UK visited the state last year. This is the highest among tourist inflows from foreign countries. Moreover, the state recorded the maximum of 38,582 foreign visitors from Europe compared to other parts of the world.
The next to follow in the queue is America from where 12,260 people paid a visit to the state. According to data from the department, the continent which is least interested in visiting Orissa is Africa from where only 1,664 visitors flocked to the state last year.
However, the data which is worrisome for the tourism industry in the state is the dwindling share of Orissa compared to the national average of foreign tourist arrivals. The report says the total share of Orissa to the nation which was 0.97 per cent in 2012 and 0.96 per cent in 2013 has fallen to 0.93 per cent in 2014, registering a negative growth in the last three years.
Experts attribute such decline to the restrictions on foreign tourists to venture into regions inhabited by particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) which was recently lifted keeping in mind the downslide in foreign tourist inflow.
Nevertheless, when it comes to domestic tourists, neighbouring West Bengal seems to have beaten us hands down. The report says that 15,10,691 tourists from West Bengal, which comprised 14 per cent of total visitors from all over India, visited Orissa last year. States close on West Bengal’s heels were Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
When it comes to the favourite season for tourists visiting the state, the report says December had been the most sought after month for travellers flocking to the state. Many opine that a battery of festivals, expos and exhibitions organised in this season and the pleasant weather attract tourists from across the globe.
The available data also hints that June is the harshest season for tourists, as it registered the least foreign arrivals. A meagre 3,865 foreign tourists came to the state in June against 10,359 foreign visitors who came to the state in December.
However, for domestic tourists August was the month that was not preferred. Data says that only 6,52,371 domestic tourists visited the state in August against 15, 52,966 that visited the state in December.
The report also claims that most tourists coming to the state prefer to take the conventional modes of transport like railways or buses. It says that merely 8.01 per cent of tourists coming into the state opt for the air route.
The compilation also says that although the state capital Bhubaneswar and neighbouring city of Cuttack top when it comes to the number of hotel accommodation, Malkangiri has the least number of hotels numbering 146. The state, moreover, is home to only two 5-star hotels, both based in Bhubaneswar while Orissa is home to four 3-star hotels based in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Jharsuguda and Gopalpur.
