Booming Tourism in Odisha: Propelled by Vision, Heritage, and Renovation
Odisha, a vibrant state in eastern India, has unveiled an ambitious and comprehensive tourism development roadmap, aiming to position it among Asia's top five eco-cultural tourism hubs by 2036. This visionary plan, known as Vision 2047, integrates Odisha's rich cultural heritage and natural assets with sustainable tourism growth strategies.
The roadmap, anchored in a balanced development approach, emphasises progress while preserving traditions, environment, and communities. Key features of this plan include targeted visitor growth, infrastructure expansion, extended experiential tourism, sustainable and inclusive development, destination-specific planning, digitalization and promotion, skill development, policy support, cultural heritage focus, and investment facilitation.
Odisha aspires to attract 5 crore domestic tourists and 7 lakh foreign tourists annually by 2036, a significant scale-up in both volume and international outreach. The plan involves substantial upgrades in infrastructure, including scaling hotel accommodation to 25,000 keys, ensuring all service providers achieve 100% accreditation for quality assurance. Development of 15 Mega Iconic destinations, centred around eco-tourism and cultural heritage, is a core pillar of the plan.
To boost tourist engagement, spending, and economic benefits for local communities, the introduction of 21-day tour packages is designed to shift focus from short visits to immersive, longer-duration experiences. Odisha emphasises a balanced development approach using the motto “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi,” meaning progress should be harmonized with preservation of traditions, environment, and communities.
The roadmap also includes destination-specific planning, employing Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and master plans for each major destination to ensure that infrastructure, branding, and operations are future-ready and sustainable. Digitalization and promotion strategies involve the use of immersive media campaigns, integrated marketing strategies, and technology-driven visitor services to enhance visibility and tourist experience.
Skill development and local empowerment are key components of the plan. Establishing skilling centres in tourism clusters will equip local youth and women with skills to lead tourism services, ensuring community participation and livelihood creation, with over 25 lakh jobs targeted by 2036.
The Odisha Tourism Policy offers a single-window clearance system and incentives like SGST reimbursements aimed at attracting domestic and foreign investments. Initiatives such as the 'Baraputra Aitihya Gram Yojana' aim to transform birthplaces of eminent Odias into vibrant cultural hubs, enhancing cultural tourism.
The roadmap is being shaped through collaborative forums such as the Odisha Tourism Conclave, which convenes stakeholders to refine strategies, discuss infrastructure, hotel development, foreign tourist engagement, and sustainable ecosystem creation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Odisha's potential during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025 in Bhubaneswar. The state is actively aligning with Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms while promoting inclusive and sustainable tourism. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised tourism's role in driving employment, investment, and cross-sectoral growth.
Odisha is becoming a leading tourism-driven economic growth region in India, with a focus on spiritual corridors, eco-retreats, and other destinations like Putsil. The state is engaging with relevant authorities to explore context-specific flexibility for responsible development in harmony with ecological priorities.
This multi-pronged, visionary roadmap positions Odisha not just as a domestic travel destination, but as a global leader in responsible, eco-cultural tourism that leverages its unique heritage, natural environments, and community development to create world-class experiences and economic opportunities.
- In alignment with Odisha's Vision 2047, the state's tourism development roadmap includes a focus on policy-and-legislation, with the creation of a single-window clearance system for attracting domestic and foreign investments, and adherence to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to ensure responsible and sustainable tourism growth.
- As part of its comprehensive tourism development plan, Odisha is planning to expand its lifestyle, travel, and general-news appeal, with aspirations to attract 5 crore domestic tourists and 7 lakh foreign tourists annually by 2036, and the development of 15 Mega Iconic destinations centered around eco-tourism and cultural heritage to position itself among Asia's top five eco-cultural tourism hubs.
