The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of travel trade in the country, in association with the Odisha Tourism, would organise its 33rd annual convention here from September 7 to 10, informed IATO president Pronab Sarkar at a Press meet here on Wednesday. 

Sarkar said the IATO is back to this beautiful city after a gap of nine years; and every year there is something different from the earlier conventions. About 900 tour operators from different parts of the country and abroad are to participate in the convention.   

State Tourism Secretary Dr Mona Sharma said the pace of development in Odisha’s tourism sector has been manifold. The image of Odisha is transforming from the recently-held Asian Athletic Championship and Bhubaneswar being rated as the first Smart City in the country.

She said that presently the growth of tourist arrival in the State is about 9 per cent. Odisha’s strength is basically culture-oriented. But new forms of tourism like ethnic tourism, Buddhist tourism, ecotourism, MICE tourism have gained momentum in the State.

IATO senior VP Rajeev Kohli said new technologies would be used during the convention. For being updated with the world by using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, some special organisations would work for it.

“Holding the convention here we would be able take the Odisha Tourism to a new level with the competing world,” he added. 

IATO VP Rajeev Mehra said Union Minster of Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam has confirmed to inaugurate the convention; and about 1,000 delegates are expected to attend it. On September 8, an IATO run would be organised for responsible tourism here, he added.IATO eastern region chairman JK Mohanty said wherever the IATO has held its convention that State has benefited a lot.

Among others, Tourism Director Dr Nitin Jawale, Convention co-chairman lally Matthews and IATO Odisha chapter chairman Gagan Sarangi were   present.