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| Bengal, Orissa to tie up for developing tourist circuit |
| BS Reporter / Kolkata Jun 29, 2009, 00:29 IST |
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Orissa tourism department, in association with the West Bengal tourism department, is looking at developing an integrated Bengal-Orissa tourist circuit to attract more tourists in the eastern region. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) and West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) would be signed next month in Bhubaneswar, said Orissa tourism minister Debi Prasad Mishra at an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The MoU will be on the lines of developing and exchanging tourism packages between Bengal and Orissa, facilitating flow of foreign tourists coming from Kolkata to Orissa.
The minister met Manabendra Mukherjee, his Bengal counterpart to discuss about the MoU. “In developing tourism in the eastern region, Bengal has played an important role. I have had an interaction with the Bengal tourism minister where we have spoken about how we can synergise tourism products. A tie-up will soon be made with WBTDC by which we can promote each other,” said Mishra. Bengal contributes more than 20 per cent of the total tourist bulk in Orissa.
Despite global meltdown, the flow of international tourists to Orissa recorded a growth of 12.7 per cent last fiscal while the domestic tourist inflow grew at 6-7 per cent. From Bengal, more than 1.24 million tourists visited Orissa in 2008-09. The OTDC has embarked on a number of big ticket tourism projects this fiscal mostly under the PPP model.
Mishra said that a proposal of sea cruise was being considered at a primary discussion between the tourism departments of West Bengal and Orissa. The cruise would be ferrying from Kolkata to Vizag and on its way it will touch various coastal spots of Orissa like Talsari, Balasore, Konark, Gopalpur and so on.The project is going to be executed in the PPP model. The mega PPP Beach Project called “Shamuka” Beach Project over almost 3,000 acres between Puri and Chilka is underway.
About 1,000 acres have been acquired and 600 acres would be acquired in another month. It will be a luxury resort with about 4 five star hotels and resorts. In the first phase, a 27 hole golf-course has been planned while another one matching international standards is expected to come up.
Global tenders will be floated within one month or so. The Orissa tourism department will lease out 31 existing government properties and some PWD properties for 30 years.
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