The tour operators and the hoteliers in Orissa feared the tourism sector in the state would be severely hit following the imposition of ban on entry of foreign tourists into two south Orissa districts-Koraput and Rayagada.
While the Rayagada district administration had issued the restriction orders last week, the Koraput district administration followed suit with a similar order on Monday. However, officials in both the districts clarified that the ban is in force for the time-being.
The district administrations have issued such instructions on the movement of foreigners in the wake of abduction of two Italians by naxals from the border area of Ganjam and Gajapati district on March 14. While one tourist has since been released, the other is still held hostage by the rebels. The hostage crisis has been further precipitated with the abduction of a MLA of ruling Biju Janata Dal.
The red ultras are bargaining hard for freedom of some of their jailed comrades for the release of the hostages.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to anyone by this decision and assure to take a prudent decision as early as possible, so that tourists can continue to explore the rich natural and cultural diversity of the district,” said collector Koraput Sachin Jadhav.
Earlier, following allegations that some tour operators were promoting “human safari” and trying to attract foreigners to tribal areas by posting pictures of semi-clad tribal women in their web sites, the state government had put restrictions on visit of foreigners to these area without the permission of district administration and taking of pictures of primitive tribals inhabitating there.
Most of the foreign tourists coming to Orissa visit the southern districts to see the culture and living of the tribal people. The blanket ban on the entry of foreigners into Koraput and Rayagada will definitely hit the tourism sector, said a Berhampur based tour operator. The hoteliers are also of the same view. “We feel the district administrations will lift the ban as soon as the abduction crisis is solved” said V Santosh Kumar, joint secretary, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO). Inflow of tourists, generated business of Rs 4,072 crore in 2010-11, out of which Rs 3,901.61 crore came from domestic tourists and Rs 170.39 crore from foreign visitors. Out of 76, 42,047 tourists who visited Orissa in the same year, 50432 were foreigners, sources said.
