Bhubaneswar: In a bid to boost tourism in Odisha and to increase the flow of domestic and international visitors, the Tourism Department decided Monday to introduce a floating restaurant during the ‘Eco-Retreat Festival’ at the Bhitarakanika National Park in Kendrapada district. The restaurant will be set up in a pond at Nalitapatia village. The department has also decided to set up luxurious cottages where tourists can reside in during the festival.
This is the first time that Odisha government’s Tourism Department is organising such a festival. The ‘Eco-Retreat Festival’ will start December 1 and continue till February 28 not only inside the Bhitarkanika National Park, but in other districts also. The decision to organise such a festival has been taken to give a fillip to tourism which has been affected due to the COVID-19 pandcemic.
Similar such festivals will also be organised at Daringbadi in Kandhamal district, Hirakud in Samabalpur district and the Ramachandi beach near Konark in Puri district.
In Daringbadi people will get a chance to trek to the Saraswati cave and visit Mandasura valley. At the Hirakud eco-retreat enclosure, facilities like 25 premium Swiss cottage tents, an air-conditioned restaurant and bar for will be set up for visitors. There will also be a ropeway ride, a jungle safari, jet skiing and rifle shooting facilities at the Debrigarh sanctuary in Sambalpur district.
At the Ramchandi beach festival 50 luxury tents will be set up for tourists to reside on the Marine Drive the between Puri and Konark. Tourists can experience five-star facilities and enjoy the luxury of nature during the ‘Eco-Retreat Festival’.
PNN