On Sunday, the Department of Tourism held a number of events to commemorate World Tourism Day 2026. These events focused on digital innovation, sustainable tourism, institutional partnerships, adventure and heritage tourism, entrepreneurship, and increased local community involvement in the State’s tourism ecosystem. Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister, Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti and Tourism, as the Chief Guest, and Anu Garg, Chief Secretary, Odisha, as the Guest of Honor, attended the state-level event at the State Convention Center, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.
The festivities were planned in accordance with the theme of World Tourism Day 2026, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” which emphasizes the growing influence of innovation, technology, and digital solutions in creating accessible, connected, and future-ready travel experiences. Speaking to the audience, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida emphasized how tourism can create chances for livelihood, foster entrepreneurship, and empower local communities to take an active role in Odisha’s development.
In order to fortify Odisha’s tourism ecosystem and improve the traveler experience at all locations, she emphasized the necessity of combining technology, sustainability, heritage, innovation, and community involvement. She emphasized how crucial it is to make sure that local communities benefit from tourism and that young people, women, entrepreneurs, artisans, and tourism service providers have new opportunities.
She went on to emphasize how crucial digital innovation and cutting-edge technology are to enhancing traveler experiences, destination discovery, and access to tourist services. She noted that the projects started and alliances formed on World Tourism Day would help create an inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready tourism industry in Odisha. Chief Secretary of Odisha Anu Garg, who was the guest of honor, spoke to the group and emphasized the value of institutional collaborations, coordinated efforts, and innovation in bolstering Odisha’s tourist ecosystem.