Hockey World Cup lead to an estimated 60% higher tourist footfall in Odisha

By leveraging on Bhubaneshwar's magnifying appeal as a sports destination, the state government hopes to bolster tourist footfall and earnings in tourism

Odisha has witnessed a record surge in tourist footfall during November-December 2018, courtesy the Men's Hockey World Cup coinciding with the state's peak tourism season.

As per tentative figures collated by Odisha's tourism department, the state received 1.61 million and 2.22 million domestic tourists in November and December respectively, upto 60 per cent higher than normal. Foreign tourists also arrived in higher numbers in the two months with an average monthly arrival of 15,000, higher by around 50 per cent.

"The total sold out status of the hotels in Bhubaneswar and Puri was unprecedented in Odisha. It was all due