Bhubaneswar, Dec 10: The Odisha government has announced homestay facilities to host NRIs attending the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from January 8 in Bhubaneswar.
“It is a big opportunity for the people of Odisha to host the NRIs. We will also make homestay arrangements for them apart from hotel accommodation. The homestay owners have been provided training in guest management and safety protocols,” Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said on Tuesday.
Around 7,000 NRIs are expected to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. The Odisha Tourism Department has blocked 200 hotels with more than 3,700 rooms in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri. Besides, families owning homestays have been provided basic training in guest management and safety protocols to experience them Odisha’s atmosphere as well as the culture and tradition in Odia homes, a senior official said.
The Tourism Department has also identified as many as 30 tourist destinations in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark, Chilika-Satapada and Raghurajpur crafts village where the NRIs may pay visits, the official said.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event began in 2003 and is being held in Odisha for the first time.
