Bhubaneswar: The state government must focus on local tradition to attract tourists, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal said Wednesday.
Addressing the 4th Odisha Tourism Conclave organised by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) here, Lal said Odisha is one of the important destinations in the country in terms of tourism and its art, culture and beautiful places.
That said, apart from infrastructural development at the tourist sites, the government must also focus on expanding and spreading the rich tradition of the state in other countries, Lal added.
On the occasion, Tourism minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said that the government is working towards making Puri an international tourist spot and for that it has invested Rs 500 crore to develop it as world heritage city.
Tourism secretary Vishal Dev said apart from Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark circuit, other places of Odisha also have huge potential and the government is working on their development. He said that Chilika has huge tourism potential and the state government is working on setting up hotels and resorts, water sports and other infrastructure development in the area.
The government is also planning to start houseboats, a heritage hotel and home stay facilities in different places of Odisha, he added.
On the occasion HRAO chairman JK Mohanty said more and more hotels are the necessity of the day to accommodate more and more foreign tourists. He also requested the Central government to reduce the GST.
According to existing norms, the tourists have to pay 28 per cent GST for the hotel room that cost around Rs 7,800.
Mohanty said, “We have also requested the Finance Ministry for inclusion of hotels in the infrastructure category on par with other facilities like airports, bridges, highways and others in the Finance Bill, establishment of a State Tourism Development Authority, quick land allotment and others.”