Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a revamped website of Tourism department – tourismodishatourism.gov.in—here, Friday.
Naveen said the website would help the state make its mark on the world tourism map. “Our efforts to promote tourism through sports events and festivals have demonstrably paid off. Thanks to these and other initiatives, tourist arrivals are growing at an impressive annual rate of over 9 per cent,” he said.
Stating that leveraging digital technology will help unlock the true potential of Odisha tourism, the chief minister said, “Our digital platform will empower lakhs of people operating in the tourism and hospitality sector and will open a huge window of opportunities. I congratulate the Tourism department for ushering in a new era in Odisha Tourism’s digital journey.”
The government has opened an e-commerce platform for handlooms and handicrafts through the website for promoting state brands such as Boyanika and Utkalika on pilot basis. This will enable users to shop for authentic souvenirs from Odisha, said an official.
An interactive map adorned with indigenous art forms of Odisha like Pattachitra allows the user to view multiple tourism destinations with 360 degree views and to have virtual tours.