The Department of Tourism concluded a three-day familiarisation trip to the Bhitarkanika National Park and Chilika lake in its maiden outreach to owners and operators of luxury houseboats, water sports and recreation projects.
The State has embarked on a drive to diversify its tourism offerings by exploring the potential of the various water bodies and wetlands that dot its landscape, besides its pristine 482 km long coastline.
The trip witnessed the participation of 18 firms comprising 26 participants across six States, including Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, apart from Odisha.
The key visits were to Bhitarkanika’s mangrove swamps, which have earned for themselves the sobriquet of “India’s Amazon” among new visitors.
The survey of Chilika lake region comprised visits to Rambha and Satapada sites, followed by Tampara lake.
Kerala Tourism vitally contributed to the success of the initiative, wherein the officials from Alappuzha (Alleppey) and Ernakulam (Kochi) districts shared insights from the regulatory, promotional, technical and environmental perspectives.
The Department of Tourism intends to adopt best practices and vital learnings from thriving models of other States.
The trip concluded with an interactive session with all participants.