Union Tourism minister K Chiranjeevi today said that eastern India can lead a tourism revolution in the country.
"Eastern India can lead a tourism revolution in the country with its rich heritage, lovely shores and deep forests," Chiranjeevi said while inaugurating the new campus of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) here in presence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Srikant Jena.
The Union Tourism minister said the Centre have already planned to overcome shortage of trained guides. A quota to train 600 regional level guides has already been given to IITTM, he said.
"The north east and east India will have 80 new regional guides by next year," the tourism minister said.
The Centre has been encouraging public-private partnership to infuse enough capital in tourism, he said adding efforts are on to ease access through visa on arrival.
"IITTM has made a mark through its campuses across the country. I wish great strides for the Bhubaneswar centre. The new campus will give them enough space to expand activities," Chiranjeevi said after inaugurating the new campus.
IITTM, Bhubaneswar, was fifth of its kind in the country after Union Tourism Ministry set up such centres at Gwalior, Goa, New Delhi and Nellore. IITTM, Bhubaneswar started its activities in October 1996 when the Ministry of Tourism opened the first regional centre of IITTM here.
Highlighting tourism potential of Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the state government is planning to establish two state Institute of Hotel Managements at Balasore and Khalikote during this year.
"Recently the Government of India has announced establishment of a National Culinary Institute at Tirupati. We request the Tourism Ministry to establish a zonal centre of this Institute in Odisha," Patnaik said.
