Footfall of foreign, domestic tourists substantially increased in Odisha

Odisha, endowed with a huge tourism potential, has recorded a substantial increase in the footfall of foreign tourists to coastal state in recent years after a considerable decline in 2020 and 2021 due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

Last year, 54,000 international tourists visited the state while the number of foreigners visiting Odisha in 2023 was 45,000. The footfall of overseas tourists stood at 22,121 in 2022. Likewise, the footfall of domestic tourists is on the rise with the state attracting 44 lakh tourists from different parts of the country in 2024. In 2023, there was a footfall of 47 lakh domestic tourists, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida told the Odisha Assembly on Saturday.

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The state government has so identified and accorded recognition to 378 sites as tourist destinations, extending tourist-friendly infrastructure to these tourist centres. To ensure safety of tourists, special police setup has been put in place in eight prominent tourist destinations. To promote tourism, 78 tourist officers are posted across the State, Deputy CM Parida informed.

It should be noted here that the Ministry of Tourism has provided financial assistance for the development of tourism related infrastructure under the ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)’ Schemes to the State of Odisha. Additionally, the Ministry has also sanctioned projects under the ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development’ Scheme in the State of Odisha.

The state’s tourism policy promotes beach tourism, Buddhist tourism, heritage tourism, religious tourism, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, Caravan, Campervan/Camping Van Tourism, health and wellness tourism, marine, cruise and yacht tourism, sand art tourism, adventure tourism.

A sizable bulk of tourists, both domestic and international tourists, prefer visiting Puri, Bhubaneswar and Konark in coastal Odisha as these places have received greater pan-India exposure.

The Jagannath temple and sprawling beach in Puri are the major attractions that draw lakhs of tourists every day, along with Konrak, which is a UNESCO heritage site. The 13th century Sun Temple, intricately built as a huge solar chariot with 12 pairs of ornamented wheels dragged by seven horses, is a hugely popular tourists’ destination of the state while the state capital city Bhubaneswar is popularly knwon as a city of temples, housing the famous Shaivite shrine of 11th century Lingaraj temple, besides Buddhist heritage sites.