Odisha leans on nature tourism, to showcase hotspots on YouTube

State is branding eco-tourism sites on FB, has budgeted Rs 56 cr on new infra at 30-40 sites; Rs 20 cr already spent

Banking on nature tourism segment to drive inbound tourist arrivals, the Odisha government plans to release short-duration video films on popular broadcast platform YouTube.

The state forest department through a local agency has prepared footages depicting the scenic charm and rare, exotic wildlife at some of the sought after eco-tourism destinations like Simlipal, Chilika, Satkosia, Daringibadi and Chandaka.

"The short films that we have readied would depict the actual scenes at select tourist hotspots in the state. We plan to release the videos soon on YouTube which would enable the potential tourists to get a feel and instantly connect with the destinations. Usually, Odisha's culture and heritage has been promoted in its tourism packages but we are making efforts to project the state's untapped nature tourism", said Suresh C Mohapatra, additional chief secretary (forest & environment), Odisha.

The state government is already branding its eco-tourism sites on Facebook.

Promotion of Nature tourism is a collaborative effort of the state's forest and tourism departments. The government has huge bets on this segment, believing it could be the future driver for tourist footfalls and trigger private investments.

The state government has budgeted Rs 56 crore on creation of tourist infrastructure at 30-40 identified eco-tourism sites. Around Rs 20 crore has already been spent. The focus is on building quality accommodation in the midst of woods where tourists can enjoy a comfortable stay. Plush cottages and nature camps are being installed at the identified locations.

In Odisha, the eco-tourism development model is sustainable and involves local communities unlike other states.

"We are providing training to the locals to service the visiting tourists. While the government is investing on infrastructure, maintenance of assets and servicing the tourists is the responsibility of the local communities. Around 80 per cent of the income earned goes to the local communities and this synergy makes the model very sustainable", Mohapatra said.

To facilitate sustainable eco-tourism, the department of tourism had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the forest department in March this year.

Odisha's forest cover is 34 per cent of its land mass and this offers ample opportunities to tap the sites that are home to some of the rare species of fauna. Be it the mass congregation of Olive Ridley turtles at its pristine beaches, flocking of avian species at Chilika lake or the scenic natural splendour of Satkosia, Odisha's Nature tourism products are still to be tapped adequately.