BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik yesterday virtually inaugurated the ‘5th Edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar’ at Eco Retreat Konark. The 3-day event will witness participation of over 70 domestic tour operators from 18 states participating in the Exhibition and showcasing their tourism products.
Mr Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Odisha said, “In the recent past, Odisha has taken focused strides to develop and introduce several niche tourism experiences. With products which are centered around key tourism offerings to match global standards, Odisha will be able to attract not just the finest brands in business of travel and hospitality but also tourists looking for experientials that are bespoke with a fresh perspective.”
Deliberating on the various tourism offerings which Odisha has to offer, the Chief Minister welcomed the tourism fraternity and sought their active contribution in marketing the State.
On this occasion, Director-Tourism Mr Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav made a presentation on Odisha Tourism’s initiatives for promotion of the State and said, “The State is focusing on new and innovative products such as Eco Retreats, Boat Clubs, Yachts, Caravans, camping etc. to lure the new-age travelers to the State. Eco Tour nature camps being operated by the Forest Department through local community participation are the State’s offerings on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.”
Dr Lenin Mohanty, Chairman, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) spoke on the importance of Odisha Travel Bazaar about providing a platform for interacting with stakeholders of travel & tourism industry from across the globe and also to help them in experiencing the tourism products of the state thus resulting in efficient marketing of Odisha to the target audience, be it the travel community or the investors.
Dr JK Mohanty, CMD, Swosti Group and Co-Chair, FICCI National Tourism Committee spoke about the importance of the tour operators and travel agents’ fraternity and how their participation in this event will enable many business opportunities and offer a bouquet of exciting tourist destinations and experiences for the travel community.
An insightful panel discussion on ‘UNLOCKING ODISHA’S TOURISM POTENTIAL’ was led by Director Tourism Mr Sachin R Jadhav. The session boasted of panelists from domains like MICE, Luxury Cruises & Houseboats, Heritage Palaces and DMCs. CMD Swosti Group Dr J.K. Mohanty, Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts Mr Souvagya Mohapatra, Director Kamat Hotels Mr Vishal Kamat, President and Director, Mayfair Hotels & Resorts Mr Manoj Kumar Gouda, MD, A.T. Seasons & Vacations Travel Pvt. Ltd Mr Amaresh Tiwari, Chairman, IATO Odisha Chapter Mr Gagan Sarangi and Director, Belgadia Palace Ms Mrinalika Bhanj Deo were part of the panel discussion.
A cultural program showcasing Odisha’s performing arts such as Odissi, Chhau and Sambalpuri folk dance was organized post the interactive session.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Lenin Mohanty, Chairman, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) and Director Tourism Mr Sachin R Jadhav, inaugurated the B2B exhibition at Eco Retreat Konark. 70 buyers from cities like Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal participated in the event. Pre-Scheduled, Structured B2B meetings between the Buyers and Sellers were carried out.
