Bhubaneswar: The state will deploy tourist police at 29 major destinations and engage 1,000 trained lifeguards through Odisha State Watermanship & Life Guard Training Institute (OSWALI) to strengthen tourist safety, CM Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Saturday, while inaugurating the seventh edition of Odisha Travel Bazaar here. Govt will appoint destination managers at tourist locations witnessing high footfall, he said.Govt has amended its tourism policy, reducing the minimum room requirement for star hotels from 50 to 10. The capital subsidy ceiling has been increased from Rs 20 crore to Rs 120 crore, while a 5,500-acre land bank has been approved for tourism projects. Govt has earmarked Rs 1,500 crore for tourism infrastructure between 2026 and 2031, Majhi said, inviting international investors, hospitality brands and tourism partners to invest in the state.Urging people to follow the ethos of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, Majhi called for visitors and devotees to be accorded respect. “Tourists should become Odisha’s true brand ambassadors, particularly in the age of social media when even a single unpleasant incident can spread rapidly,” he said.Majhi highlighted Odisha’s 575-km coastline, Bhitarkanika’s mangrove forests, Chilika, Hirakud Reservoir and monuments, including Jagannath Temple and Konark Sun Temple, as tourism assets. He said the sector was being strengthened under Viksit Odisha 2036-2047 roadmap, with local artisans, guides and tour operators being equipped with modern digital skills.FICCI national tourism committee co-chairperson J K Mohanty said Odisha should move beyond being promoted merely as a two- or three-night extension destination. He called for a long-stay experience covering spirituality, heritage, nature, wildlife, beaches, tribal culture, cuisine, handlooms and local experiences. “Odisha has almost everything required to create a 21-night destination experience. Our task is to package the state’s own strengths professionally and competitively for the international market,” he said.Deputy CM Pravati Parida described Odisha as “a global experience”, citing its Buddhist heritage, handloom, heritage sites, Chilika and eco-tourism. Former India cricket captain Kapil Dev said the state had helped take Indian hockey forward and could become a sports hub. Chief secretary Anu Garg and tourism commissioner-cum-secretary Balwant Singh spoke at the event.
