Bhubaneswar, Sept 27: Odisha marked World Tourism Day 2026 with a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism through institutional partnerships, digital innovation, sustainable practices and greater community participation.
A major highlight of the state-level celebration at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seba Bhawan, was the signing of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to expand tourism opportunities across the state.
A significant MoU was signed between the Department of Tourism and State Bank of India (SBI) to extend financial support to homestays. The partnership is expected to strengthen community-led tourism and grassroots entrepreneurship by enabling homestay operators to access financial assistance and develop accommodation facilities. The initiative is also intended to create livelihood opportunities for local communities while offering visitors more authentic tourism experiences.
The Department of Tourism also signed an MoU with the Indian Kayaking & Canoeing Association to promote and expand adventure tourism in Odisha. The partnership is aimed at strengthening adventure-based tourism activities and creating new opportunities for tourism operators, youth and local communities.
Heritage tourism also received a major institutional push with the signing of an MoU between the Department of Tourism and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Yadubir Singh Rawat, Director General, ASI, highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting India's heritage assets as an integral part of the tourism experience.
The celebrations also featured new mobility and visitor-experience initiatives. Luxury coaches of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) were flagged off, while the OTDC EV Boat at Barkul and the Catamaran by Swosti at Chilika Lake were virtually flagged off. These initiatives are expected to add new dimensions to tourism mobility and visitor experiences at Chilika, one of Odisha's prominent destinations.
The event further focused on strengthening community participation. Provisional Registration Certificates were distributed to 176 beneficiaries under the Homestay Scheme, while licences and registrations were distributed to adventure tour operators to support the formalisation and growth of adventure tourism.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida stressed that tourism should generate livelihoods and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth, women, artisans, entrepreneurs and local tourism service providers.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg emphasised coordinated efforts, institutional partnerships and innovation for sustainable tourism development.
The programme also included a capacity-building workshop for homestay owners and a sensitisation workshop on ethnic tourism. A dedicated presentation on digital innovation highlighted how technology can transform destination discovery and visitor services.
