The Orissa tourism department is likely to finalize the private operator for its proposed houseboat tourism project to be developed at Chilika on the public private partnership (PPP) mode.

The houseboat tourism is set to be launched in December this year, the beginning of the peak tourism season in the state.

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“A few private players have evinced interest. We are likely to finalize the operator by the end of this month”, an official source told Business Standard.

The state tourism department has specified the standards and the mode of operations for the houseboat tourism and the selected operator has to comply with the same. Depending on the response to the project, the Orissa tourism department plans to develop similar projects at other suitable locations of the state. This is expected to boost the state's inbound tourist arrivals.

The tourism department's plan to develop houseboat tourism has come in response to the recommendations of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO).

The state tourism department is also planning to come out with new products in segments like eco-tourism and cruise tourism, said the official source, but refused to divulge the details.

The state tourism department has decided to have dedicated land banks exclusively meant for development of tourism projects. Efforts are on to acquire land in some of the destinations with tremendous potential for tourism. The state government aims to acquire 400-500 acres of land by October this year to create a robust land bank for tourism projects in different regions.

Moreover, the state tourism department is also looking to rope in private players to start its proposed luxury train for tourists on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode involving an investment of Rs 37 crore. It is in the process of negotiations with some private players to start a luxury train for the tourists on the PPP mode.

The modalities of starting the proposed luxury train are being worked out by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

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