Odisha Tourism Gets District-Level Push With New Tourism Initiatives

09 Sep 2026, 10:02 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is preparing to shift more of its tourism development effort towards the district level, with local authorities being asked to identify and develop multiple tourism opportunities within their respective areas.

The plan was discussed at a virtual orientation programme for Local Tourism Promotion Councils (LTPCs) held by the Tourism Department on September 5. Chief Secretary Anu Garg chaired the meeting, which brought together sub-Collectors, LTPC chairpersons and members, police officers and senior officials of the Tourism Department from across the state.

At the centre of the proposed approach is the idea of developing five to 10 small tourism sectors in each district. The initiative, framed as “One District-Many Tourism Initiatives,” is intended to spread tourism activity beyond established destinations and create more opportunities for local communities.

The government is also considering a Tourism Ranking system for districts. The proposed ranking would encourage districts to compete in developing their tourism potential and improving the facilities available to visitors.

Focus On Local Destinations And Community Participation

District administrations have been asked to look beyond conventional tourist attractions and identify places and assets that could support new tourism activities.

The exercise will cover new tourist destinations, homestays, heritage properties and natural resources. Local youth are expected to have a role in tourism-related activities, while women and the MSME sector are also being positioned as beneficiaries of the expanded tourism drive.

Garg stressed the need to improve the basic experience for tourists. Clean surroundings, essential amenities and hospitality were among the areas highlighted during the meeting.

The Chief Secretary also called for stronger coordination at the district level so that tourism projects are supported by the infrastructure and services needed to make them viable.

Infrastructure And Tourism Services In Focus

Officials were directed to work across several areas, including roads, cleanliness, ancillary infrastructure, signage, youth training, homestays and wayside amenities.

The preservation and maintenance of heritage sites also formed part of the discussions, along with efforts to improve the overall appeal of tourism locations.

The government wants tourism to contribute more directly to economic activity and livelihoods at the district level. Garg linked the effort with the broader vision of “Viksit Odisha and Viksit Bharat”, urging officials to take greater ownership of tourism development in their respective areas.

She also reiterated the state’s tourism message of “Think India, Think Odisha.”

Policies Already In Place

The district-level push comes as Odisha has already introduced a number of policy measures aimed at strengthening tourism.

These include the Tourism Policy, Odisha Homestay Establishment Scheme-2025 and eco-tourism policies. The initiatives are designed to encourage tourism development and create employment opportunities.

Garg stressed that the benefits of these policies would depend on their implementation at the grassroots level.

Investment facilitation is another component of the state’s strategy. Odisha is establishing a land bank for tourism development and investment promotion, and sub-Collectors were asked to identify suitable land in their districts for potential tourism projects.

Wider Tourism Ecosystem To Be Developed

The programme also looked beyond destinations themselves, with officials discussing the need to strengthen the wider tourism ecosystem.

Areas identified for development included hotels, homestays, tour and travel services, tourist guides, transportation and tour packages. Better availability of these services is expected to support visitor movement and improve the overall tourism experience.

Presentations at the orientation programme covered tourism investment and the tourism land bank, destinations and infrastructure, adventure tourism, homestays and ethnic tourism.

Tourism Commissioner and Secretary Balwant Singh presented the state’s Tourism Vision 2036-2047, while Director Tourism Deepankar Mohapatra outlined the upcoming action plan.

The programme was conducted virtually, with senior Tourism Department officials participating from Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar