Subhechcha Ganguly 
For the past many years, Odisha Tourism never quite had an out-of-the-box thinker at the helm to cement Odisha’s identity on the global tour map. That creative drought has ended with Mr Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, the incumbent Director of the Tourism department. He was instrumental in making a roaring success out of the 4th Edition of Odisha Travel Bazar from October 28-30. The three-day tourism blitz was attended by 25 foreign operators and 83 domestic tour operators.
The primary objective of Odisha Travel Bazar 2022 was to create a platform for the aggressive promotion of tourist destinations in Odisha to domestic buyers from India and the international market. Strategic actions are being taken in this regard by the State Government to establish Odisha as a diverse tourism hub of global standards by pitching a refreshingly new vision of the state.
The event focused on B2B meetings between Tourism Fraternity of Odisha (Sellers) with Domestic Tour Operators (DTOs) & Foreign Tour Operators (FTOs) followed by familiarization trips to various tourist destinations of Odisha. Foreign Tour Operators from countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam participated at the event.
Jadhav has been experimenting with innovative ideas to promote Odisha Tourism. In September this year, a super bike rally kicked off in his presence from Infocity to Dhauli as part of the ‘Odisha by Road 3.0’.
At a recent convention- EEMAGINE 2022, jadhav said, “Odisha is as cultured and diverse as Rajasthan and EEMA is bringing forward the potential of the events industry to massive heights. The government is also now focusing on the events industry as a major catalyst of tourism. The future looks bright for the industry and there is also a massive need for a policy on the procurement of events just like the policies of procurement of goods and procurement of services”.
EEMA also played host to the EEMAX Global and Spotlight Awards, a prestigious ceremony that recognises excellence in events and experiential marketing in categories such as corporate events, sporting events, wedding & social events, activations, and exhibitions, among others.
He is also giving a big boost to Eco-Tourism. “Eco Retreat Hirakud, Satkosia and Daringbadi are easily accessible by road, within 450 km. Worldclass amenities for camping in luxury tents are complemented by experiences ranging from jungle trails to water sports, camp-fires to boat rides, cycling tours to adrenaline-pumping games, and lip-smacking food. All this comes with Odisha’s stamp of tourist safety assurance, backed by its stellar record in COVID management”, he said.
Odisha Tourism is currently investing in strategic master planning and development of priority destinations in the state as part of its vision to establish Odisha as an investor-friendly and tourist-friendly destination. A variety of niche tourism services are being developed in the state, including houseboat and cruise tourism, camping, homestays, caravan tourism, food tourism, and so forth.Besides tourism, Jadhav is tasked with overseeing the implementation of various schemes & projects and the delivery of public services in Nuapada district.
