Orissa seeks investment in tourism infrastructure

BHUBANESWAR: Highlighting Orissa's vast and diverse tourism potential, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sought private investment to create necessary infrastructure to attract both international and domestic tourists.

Inaugurating the 24th convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) here, Patnaik said Orissa's tourism potential is enriched by its long coastline, dense forests, monuments, exotic handicraft, handloom and many tribes.

Patnaik further said that tourism could become the flagship of Orissa's economy for which the government has been treating it as a priority sector.

Stating that travel industry has increased manifold across the world, he said tourism sector is an excellent job multiplier. "For every 10 lakh Rupee investment in the sector, 48 people get direct and indirect employment," he said.

In a bid to woo the tour operators and investors, Patnaik said Orissa had a tourist friendly environment and an investment friendly infrastructure base for development.

"We welcome investment in the tourism sector. Emphasis is on public-private partnership," Patnaik said promising all assistance to the interested investors.

IATO president Bijay Thakur, convention chairman Arjun Sharma and Union Tourism Secretary S Banerjee during their speeches accepted that Orissa's tourism potential remained unexploited while state Tourism Minister Devi Prasad Mishra sought help from tour operators for developing the tourism sector in the state.