Bhubaneswar: To champion Tourism in Odisha by forging networks and collaborations across India and globally, the Department of Tourism in association with Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will host the fifth edition of Odisha Travel Bazar (OTB) 2023-24 from February 7 at Eco Retreat Konark.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will virtually inaugurate this flagship exhibition on 7 February.
The primary objective of Odisha Travel Bazar 2023-24 will be to create a platform for aggressive promotion of tourist destinations in Odisha to domestic buyers from India as well as in the international market. Strategic actions are being taken in this regard by the State Government to establish Odisha as a diverse tourism hub of global standards by pitching a refreshingly new vision of the state, said Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) Chairman Lenin Mohanty here today.
The three-day long Odisha Travel Bazaar, a flagship buyer seller meet, aims to bring together all the national and international travel and tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs) under one platform to let them explore the various tourism offerings of Odisha, he said.
Dr.Mohanty said Odisha has witnessed unprecedented progress and development in all spheres. The government of Odisha has taken great strides to promote tourism and other allied sectors by launching direct flight connectivity in May 2023 from Bhubaneswar to Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok.
Taking the momentum forward, Odisha Travel Bazaar will promote Odisha as a leading tourism destination to both domestic and foreign tourists. The hidden gems of Odisha are now emerging as prime choices for travellers to witness authentic experiences, Surendra Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Tourism Department.
With its unique natural and cultural heritage, Odisha is now a place for a diverse and immersive travel experience to enjoy the absolute beauty of travel for years to come, Shri Kumar said.
The primary objective of Odisha Travel Bazar 2023-24 is to create a platform for aggressive promotion of tourist destinations in Odisha to domestic buyers from India as well as in the international market, said Tourism Director Sachin R Jadhav.
A total number of 70 domestic tour operators from 18 states like Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, GOA, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal are likely to participate in the event, he said.
Similarly, 55 foreign tour operators from across 16 countries like Belgium, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and Vietnam are participating in the event.
This event will have more than 3,000 B2B meetings between tourism Fraternity of Odisha (Sellers) with domestic tour operators (DTOs) & foreign tour operators (FTOs) followed by familiarization trips to various tourism destinations of Odisha like Pipili, Raghurajpur, Dhauli Shanti Stupa, Eco Retreat Bhitarkanika and Eco Retreat Satkosia.